Song of Fate
by White as Sin
Summary: A golden age has passed, what was once united, separate. An object of power rises up, as twelve from the four corners of the earth must unite¡¦
1. Prelude

Song of Fate  
  
  
  
Summary: A golden age has passed, what was once united, separate. An object of power rises up, as twelve from the four corners of the earth must unite.  
  
Prelude  
  
Long ago, it was a golden age in the world, one of peace, one of knowledge, one of prosperity. In unity was strength and the separate regions all over were not indeed separate, they were just slightly short of being a large united society. Then, as all kingdoms are doomed to become, the unity and light crumbled as all fell. Soon there were only large kingdoms, separate strictly except in certain matters.  
  
There was the Yagami kingdom, in the west, where there were deserts and tropical forests. They were particularly known for their warlike nature and was the predominate power in the world. A standard flew proudly over their battlements of an orange sun in a blood red field framed with swords.  
  
Next were the Ishida and Takaishi kingdoms to the north, an area of snowcapped mountains and pine forests. The two kingdoms were roughly joined together, although they had two different standards, for they had two rulers. The people of the north were skilled metal workers and breeders of horses. The standard of Ishida was a sickle moon in a midnight blue background with an axe on the bottom and the standard of Takaishi was of a upward firing shooting star colored gold on a turquoise blue field.  
  
To the east was the Tachikawa kingdom, a lush region of varied forests and meadows. They were more peaceful than the other kingdoms, known for their expertise in plants and living creatures. Their standard was a lily and a rose, a teardrop crowning them, on a green background.  
  
The south had the Kido kingdom, an area of plains and valleys. In that land, knowledge and education was considered the most important and they were known for raising excellent military tacticians and mages of war. Their standard was of a staff and a bolt of lightning crossed on a gray background.  
  
In the islands to the southwest was the Takenouchi kingdom, an alliance of all the islands. They were violent fighters, like their western neighbors in the Yagami kingdom, and mostly aloof, interfering only if gain was in their favor. A standard of a gold hawk on a burgundy field was borne in battle.  
  
Some distance across the sea was the Ichijouji kingdom, old and bound deeply in tradition. They kept their distance from the other kingdoms, and were mysterious in their ways. Few had ever even dared to try to send fleets of ships to attempt to conquer them; the men and the ships would disappear, never to be seen again. Whispered rumors spread that they practiced dark magic there, conjuring demons and taking over the minds of others. Old documents revealed sketches of their standard, which was a silver dragon upon a field of black and surrounded by a jagged circle of silver.  
  
The kingdoms then reached a sort of uneasy truce between one another for centuries, each minding their own business and not caring about the conditions of others. This particular story is about how they were connected and a second golden age was brought about again.  
  
~*~  
  
Angry yells rang about the palace. "No! I will not allow it! You are the Crown Prince!"  
  
"Mother, I must do it! How can I be a good king if I do not know about the world more?"  
  
"I forbid it, your father is mad," the Queen, a woman with blonde hair and a usually sweet natured appearing face (which currently was red and contorted in anger and frustration), said flatly, shooting a glare at the King, a man with brown hair and a rugged, slightly harsh visage.  
  
"I believe it is best if he has this experience out on the border patrols," he said mildly.  
  
"I am not endangering the life of our son!" the queen shouted.  
  
The king got up. "You cannot shelter him forever!" he roared back. "You have to realize he is becoming a man and he will not be your little child for much longer!"  
  
"Father-" Yamato started, but his father raised his hand.  
  
"Go out of the room, son, your mother and I need to talk."  
  
Hesitantly, the blonde backed out of the room, quietly closing the door after. Yamato sighed and scuffed his foot on the carpet as he stuffed his hands into his pockets, his parents' angry yells echoing after him, but muffled through the walls, carpet, and hangings.  
  
His younger brother, Takeru, nearly crashed into him, as he hurried along the hallways for some mysterious reason and Yamato himself brooded silently. Both brothers had gold blonde hair and ice blue eyes, similar in height and skin coloring as well, despite their age difference of about three years. They were also skilled at fighting. For some odd reason, they were given magical powers that had never appeared before in their family line. Yamato had abilities over ice and Takeru over emotion and light.  
  
"Takeru, what's your big hurry?" Yamato grumbled.  
  
"Nothing," the younger boy said hastily.  
  
"Nothing my ass, little brother."  
  
"Mother will kill you if she heard you say that."  
  
"Currently she and Father are having a screaming match. again."  
  
Takeru sighed. "What time is it this week?"  
  
"I believe it's the tenth, within three days."  
  
Takeru ran a hand through his blonde locks. "I hate it when they do that. Not only does it hurt, they happen to have very loud voices."  
  
"I know, where are you off to?"  
  
"Down to check out the marketplace." He cringed as Yamato gave him a look that said clearly, 'Don't bother lying because I know what you're up to.'  
  
"You're going to see Taylor, aren't you?" Yamato asked flatly.  
  
"No, not really," Takeru said, trying to slip past.  
  
"Takeru, the kid's a damn thief."  
  
"So, you go down to the tavern all the time," Takeru challenged. "And get drunk and there was that one time with that pretty serving maid."  
  
"Never mind that!" Yamato snapped, stifling a blush. "You are not going down there alone."  
  
"I promised him I wouldn't bring anyone!"  
  
"Then you aren't going," Yamato growled. "Go back to your room, now."  
  
Takeru shot Yamato an angry look and said quietly, "Someday you have to learn that I'm not always your baby brother that's in need of protecting." Then he walked swiftly to his bedroom.  
  
Yamato heaved a sigh and leaned on a wall, burying his face in his hands. Why was his family so full of chaos?  
  
~*~  
  
A cloaked and hooded figure sat in front of a small, crackling fire in the forest. Something stirred behind it, a brief crunch of crushed leaves and sticks below the soft sounds of the night, but whoever the person was; he or she ignored it. Then a shadow crept closer and closer, ready to attack at any moment. But the person was gone.  
  
The attacker then felt a slight pressure of a knife on the unprotected skin of the neck.  
  
"Got you," someone whispered.  
  
The shadow laughed. "Damn, you get me all the time."  
  
"Of course." The other person disappeared and reappeared by the fire.  
  
Moving toward the light, the first shadow pulled back the hood revealing a young man in his early twenties with red brown hair and sparkling mahogany eyes. His face was tanned and ruddy, as well as good-natured, if sarcastic at times. He was well muscled and tall, a strong fighter obviously and used to handling weapons. As his equipment and clothing went, he was wearing a loose brown shirt and trousers under the cloak along with brigandine armor. Few of his enemies ever knew that he had elemental magic, few that were alive to tell the tale anyways. The young man had control over steel and metal, a skill that he practiced with earnest.  
  
The figure in front of the fire lifted their own hood, revealing a young woman with blue green hair and glittering beryl green eyes set in a pale skinned face. Pointed ears stuck out from under the mass of aqua blue green hair that was tied in a braid, marking her as an elf. As beautiful and delicate she appeared at first glance, a second and third glance would show that she had the hard, smooth muscles of an expert fighter below her green shirt and gray trousers. However, few would ever imagine that she had killed many a skilled warrior with those slim, seemingly frail hands, either with her bare hands, or with a weapon in them. Below the fierce skills and often-cold appearing face she displayed many times, a kind, compassionate heart rested within her. She was an elemental warrior with power over animals, being able to communicate with them and shift into different forms, including those of mythical animals.  
  
"Saraia, if you weren't such a close friend and a hell good fighter, I'd consider luring to my bed," the brunette joked.  
  
"Ha, Daisuke, you dare do that and I will rip a piece off of you, a piece I believe you prize highly," the elf snorted.  
  
"You are too vindictive. And most elves are supposed to be peaceful, gentle, compassionate."  
  
"Well I am not like 'most elves,' Daisuke. So what do you have to report?"  
  
"Not much, the royals are torn apart."  
  
"Damn," the elf growled. "Mortals are such fools at times."  
  
"Hey, I'm a mortal for your information."  
  
"And you act like a fool."  
  
"It is tempting to agree with that." A quiet, grave voice was then heard in the clearing.  
  
"Iori, you're back," Saraia turned to face a young man with light brown hair and bright green eyes.  
  
Iori was a calm, quiet man, with much resemblance to a priest, or a scholar. Few would ever imagine how deadly he was with a staff or a rapier in his hands. Dressed simply in sensible clothing of a beige long sleeved tunic and matching breeches, he presented an ordinary, benign image that was very reminiscent of a scholar or a member of clergy. As well as being a skilled warrior, but with strong ethics and firm beliefs about honor, he was an elemental fighter, with powers of psychic abilities.  
  
"Of course," he said calmly, stepping into the clearing and toward the fire. He gently tossed her a small package that was slightly warm. "I thought you might like a treat from the bakery in town. Also I checked on the horses."  
  
She opened it. "Thank you so much. How did you know I liked these?" She fished out one of the cakes inside and took a bite.  
  
"Intuition," Iori shrugged innocently and she shot him a glare.  
  
"You read my mind again, didn't you?"  
  
"Give me one!" Daisuke demanded, and she handed him a few.  
  
"My, my, is it a party?" Yet another voice appeared.  
  
"Yes, bring out the wine, Dia'," Saraia said, brushing off a few crumbs.  
  
"The name's Andia, elf," a man dressed in crimson grumbled, going in.  
  
Andia, or known as Dia, was slightly shorter than everyone else, but no less of a fighter. He had flowing black hair that was streaked with silver, although he was not old at all in appearance, and dark eyes that were lightly dotted with amber. His eyes resembled cat's eyes to a point where it was positively eerie. Dressed only in crimson, he let the twin sabers at his belt hang in full view, preferring to take the "Walk softly and carry a big stick" approach to intimidation. He had power to animate nonliving objects, sometimes permanently and sometimes temporarily, and minor telekinesis. He was aloof and sometimes flat cold, but he was a warrior that always stayed by the side of his comrades.  
  
"The name is Saraia, male," the elf shot back, and he only grinned at her.  
  
"Look at what we're reduced to," Dia grumbled. "Some of the best warriors, now acting as part time mercenaries."  
  
"We are not mercenaries, Andia," Iori said quietly, sitting down in front of the fire. "And it is highly likely we would never be."  
  
"It is unusual for an elf to sell her services in the ways of a warrior, but I am not like most of my kind," Saraia said, stringing a long bow and examining it. "But I will not be a mercenary. I still appreciate life, thank you very much."  
  
"Leave to an elf, and a female elf nonetheless, to be sentimental," Dia muttered, and barely dodged a swift blow from Saraia's direction.  
  
"My friends," Daisuke shook his head, rubbing his head.  
  
"We have to find that gem though," Saraia said seriously, slipping her bow away and unstringing it. "That guy sounded serious."  
  
Daisuke snorted. "Yeah, he's one of those prophet types, predicting the end of the world. It's just horse crap, I tell you."  
  
"He wasn't lying," Iori said seriously. "I can tell when someone is lying."  
  
"Where is the gem anyways?" Dia asked, mildly curious.  
  
"He said that we have to go the center of the continent and gather certain elemental warriors, just like us. But not me or you, Dia. There are these elemental warriors that have certain very powerful abilities, as well as these blessings upon them," Saraia said.  
  
"And then?" Daisuke prompted.  
  
"They do something, and they are able to bring up the gem. Then it must be destroyed; it's too powerful, he said, and evil can easily corrupt it." A silence fell over the camp as the inhabitants mused.  
  
"So what does it look like?" Dia asked finally.  
  
"Like a perfectly round blue orb about the size of Daisuke's head," Saraia said and grinned wryly. "And that boy has hell of a large head."  
  
"I resent that," Daisuke grumbled.  
  
Iori looked to the south. "So we must gather these elemental warriors together."  
  
The elf nodded. "The man said that we could sense if one is around, and he said also, this would glow if one was close." She held up her right gauntlet, a fingerless leather glove reinforced at the seams and well made. Set on it was a moonstone of a fairly good size. It was glowing faintly but she willed it to go out.  
  
"We'll have to separate," Dia said finally.  
  
"No," Saraia said firmly. "We must stay together."  
  
Daisuke then thought for a moment and said, "You know, when I passed by the princes, I sensed something about them."  
  
"They could be two of the elemental warriors," Saraia mused. "I can send one of the eagles here to make sure."  
  
"Do it and damn well be done with it then," Dia told her.  
  
She chuckled and let out a sharp whistle. In a flurry of wings, an eagle landed on her left wrist, clad in a gauntlet as well. She then had a short conversation as she then bound a small crystal orb around its leg. The bird then took off.  
  
"Get some sleep, we should stay in the village later," Saraia said. Elves didn't need much sleep, having odd abilities in endurance and healing.  
  
"I feel pity for any man who tries to take your services other than fighting," Daisuke muttered and collapsed into his bedroll.  
  
She laughed dryly. "I know."  
  
Dia sat by her as Iori joined Daisuke in slumber. "Saraia, why are you so. diverse in personality?"  
  
The question, which had been posed many times before, would have irked the elf and she would give some tart answer along the lines of "It is none of your business."  
  
"I guess because I have been around humans for too long," the elf shrugged, poking the fire. "I am a lot older than I look, as you are too, Andia. Sometimes, you just have to adjust."  
  
Dia nodded, pulling out a long knife and sharpening it. "I know that very well."  
  
She looked up at the sky and suddenly the eagle from earlier came hurtling down. In time she barely caught it on her gauntlet-clad arm. She looked at the crystal, which was glowing brightly, and nodded, as she untied the gem. "They both have the blessings." Then she had a brief conversation with the eagle. "Thank you, wing sister." Saraia then offered the bird a piece of dried meat from the stores. Taking it, the eagle took to the air once more.  
  
"Apparently, the brothers are also in turmoil," the elf said, fumbling with the crystal.  
  
"None of our problem," Dia said, whittling at a stray stick.  
  
Saraia went to her pack and picked up a mirror from within it. "I keep contact with my kin around the world. I will ask them to help me find the remaining warriors."  
  
"How many are there?"  
  
"Twelve," she answered, plucking a long, blue-green hair from her head and setting it on the smooth glass of the mirror. She then furrowed her brow as she had a conversation with whoever it was in the mirror in her native language, Elven. Finishing it, she put the mirror away.  
  
"What was that all about?" Dia asked.  
  
"A conversation with a friend of mine. She and her clan live to the east, in Tachikawa. They are on good terms with the mortals there."  
  
"And you're from the east, aren't you?"  
  
"Yes, pretty much. My friend said that she would pass on the word to other clans to the east, south, west, southwest, and to the continent across the sea."  
  
"Ichijouji? Some of your kind dwells there?"  
  
"Yes, distant kin. For a shadow being, you are very inquisitive."  
  
"I thank you for that," Dia said, amused.  
  
Saraia laughed, a clear, rich sound, like a bell. Then she gazed into the fire, musing to herself.  
  
~*~  
  
Sora looked around from her perch among the leafy boughs of a large tree. Nodding, she turned to her friend Miyako and signaled all clear. Jumping down, the Amazon leaned on the tree trunk. She was very pretty, with a lean, well-muscled body, blazing scarlet-gold hair, and bright, almost ruby red eyes. Yet many a man or enemy had seen cold death within those bright colored eyes right before she killed them. Dressed in a loose tunic with knee length leggings colored red brown and barefoot, she presented the natural image of an Amazon, complete with the spear in her hand. The woman was a well-trained fighter, along with elemental powers of illusion and healing. A slim gold band set with a single, round blood red ruby around her head marked her rank as the chieftain and queen of the Amazons in all of the islands of Takenouchi.  
  
Her second in command, a lavender-haired, amber-eyed female named Miyako, leapt gracefully down beside her. She was slimmer than Sora but swifter on foot and in the trees. Her eyes often sparkled in amusement, but could become chips of amber ice within seconds as war rage settled. Dressed in a sleeveless shirt with part of the bottom cut off, and thus revealing her bare, well conditioned stomach, as well as trousers hacked off to knee length, both colored tan, she posed a wild but unthreatening image. Or at first, before she killed those foolhardy enough to attack her or who threatened her people. She was also the shaman of the tribes, having abilities of air and weather.  
  
"Something troubles you, my Queen?" the sorceress asked.  
  
"Nothing," Sora said. "I feel an ill storm coming, something unsettles my heart."  
  
Miyako frowned. "I will have to see my crystal tonight then." She was referring a round ball of clear crystal she used to see the future and spy upon the actions of others.  
  
"You have no need to," Sora said.  
  
"But I shall, and nothing you say will stop me." The lavender-haired girl set her hands on her hips.  
  
Sora laughed. "Alright my friend, but let us hunt, for that was our original plan."  
  
~*~  
  
Princess Mimi looked around quickly, hiding under her cloak. As the guards passed, she slipped out through the door and hurried to the stables. Leading her mare out through the gates, she cast one last look at the castle that was her home for all of her life.  
  
Mother, Father, I am sorry but I cannot live a life without love.  
  
She then rode swiftly away. As she rode, tears trickled down her fair cheeks. If her hood was off, one could see that she had long, rich brown hair framing a delicate and pale face with innocent brown eyes. She was obviously not a warrior, but had an air of magic about her, which was true, for she was an elemental mage of plants.  
  
~*~  
  
Jyou sighed, frustrated. He ran a hair through his blue hair as his dark blue, almost black, eyes were flashing in irritation. A tall and lanky man, he was deceptively weak appearing but was a formidable opponent with a good staff or a glaive, a long staff with a foot long leaf shaped metal blade in one end. He was usually mild mannered but flustered easily. Thus the powers of water were suited to him as an elemental warrior.  
  
He gazed at the document in front of him angrily. His parents betrothed him?! How could they? It was to the princess of the Tachikawa kingdom. Both royal families must have wished for an alliance of both of their kingdoms, before his parents died anyways, leaving him the sole ruler of Kido. Angry, he wished to rip apart the parchment but restrained himself. Then he sighed again and buried his face into his hands.  
  
~*~  
  
Taichi, ruler of Yagami, gazed over the deserts in the eastern region of his kingdom with a cool, impassive face as he observed everything with a critical brown eye, perched easily on his large blood bay stallion. He was a huskily built man, with a mane of wild brown hair and deep brown eyes set into a tanned and weathered face, easily distinguished as a warrior, a very skilled one. A flicker of spirit and an air of command rested within those eyes, despite the youth of the face that held them. His spirited nature and hot temper went in harmony with his elemental powers over fire.  
  
His sister, the Crown Princess Hikari, rode up beside him on her gray mare. She was a conventionally pretty woman, with lighter brown hair than her brother's but with the same brown eyes. A calmer air was in those brown orbs, along with a sense of compassion. Despite her frail appearance and kind face, she was a deadly fighter in archery. She had powers over light and healing skills.  
  
"Something troubles you, brother?" she asked.  
  
"Yes," he answered slowly. "You know the Dark City? The one far to the east?"  
  
"Those are just stories, brother," Hikari said.  
  
"Apparently not, I sense something from there, two things in fact. One is good, and powerful, and the other is somewhat evil, weaker but easier to spread out to corrupt everything."  
  
"It does not suit you normally to have your head in the clouds," the princess said, adjusting the veils that covered the bottom half of her face and all of her hair.  
  
"It is not dreaming, it is more of a premonition." Taichi responded, still gazing at a minute dark spot upon the horizon.  
  
~*~  
  
"My son," the man on the bed rasped. "Please, it is my time for the shadows to take me."  
  
"Father?" A young man stepped forward, indigo eyes sorrowful. He was handsome, tall and slim, built for speed and strength at the same time. A pale, finely chiseled face was framed by blue-black hair. Ken, the sole heir to the throne of Ichijouji, gently clasped his father's hand in his own fine-boned strong one. He had an aura of magic, the magic of shadows, but not true darkness.  
  
"Rule well for me," the king said. "But you have a different destiny coming. My son, use the power of the shadows well, but do not let true darkness take you."  
  
"I promise," Ken responded gently and the king smiled for one of the few times in his life, and peacefully slept in a deep slumber no one could wake him from. A single tear fell from Ken's eyes as he mourned the passing of his father's spirit. "I promise I will find my destiny and use my powers well."  
  
~*~  
  
Koushiro Izumi, traveling sorcerer, staggered to a clearing, looking very pale. His equally exhausted gelding trotted behind him slowly. The mage was a slightly short, yet slim man with a shock of bright red hair and jet black eyes. His simple mage robes were torn under a large black cloak. He was exhausted, having been ambushed by trolls and forced to use his elemental powers of lightning swiftly with no notice before hand. Besides being a mage, he was also used to fighting with knives and throwing daggers, which came to be useful. Leaning against a tree, he sighed, sliding to the ground, and sunk into a half daze, barely remembering to ward his camp.  
  
~*~  
  
Five kingdoms. Twelve people. One destiny.  
  
  
  
A/N: I hope you like this so far, I am writing on different stories currently, but I promise I will try to continue my other stories quickly. Please review! 


	2. Sonata

Chapter 2  
  
A/N: I am soooo sorry, I forgot the disclaimer! Digimon does not belong to me.  
  
Sonata  
  
Takeru sneaked quietly along the halls, a pack on his back and his sword slung on around his waist. Dressed in his darkest and simplest clothes, the prince snuck past through hallways and rooms, just about to open the door that would lead him to freedom.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
A candle was lit, and Yamato, a slightly irritated look on his face, stood right behind him.  
  
"I need to get out of here, Yamato," Takeru said.  
  
"It's a dangerous world, do you have any idea what it's like outside of the palace?"  
  
"Yes I do," the younger man snapped. "One of my friends is a 'damn thief,' remember?"  
  
"Takeru, enemies will use you against Mother and Father, you could get killed."  
  
"Mother and Father are too busy fighting. I'm dispensable in the terms of the kings here. Yamato, you are stifling me, and you yell at Mom and Dad about being overprotective."  
  
Yamato sighed. Typical of his brother to turn back words and make him sound like a hypocrite. "Fine, you have to promise me one thing."  
  
"What is that?" Takeru pulled up the hood of his cloak.  
  
"Be careful and don't die out there, kid." Yamato pulled his brother into a tight, fierce hug. "Take Firesoul."  
  
"She's your warhorse," Takeru said. "I can't."  
  
"Never mind that. She loves you; it's obvious to me. Also she is a warhorse, the breeds that we're famous for. Just take her, you need her more than I do."  
  
"Thanks." Takeru swallowed, and nodding a last farewell, slipped out the door. Yamato later heard the galloping of horse's hooves some distance off and smiled a bittersweet smile.  
  
~*~  
  
Later, in the morning, Saraia, Iori, Daisuke, and Dia disassembled their camp and headed to the village nearby. As they rode in, they heard bits of gossip concerning Prince Takeru. Apparently he had disappeared during the night, leaving his parents and older brother frantic. Frowning, Saraia nodded toward a nearby tavern, gazing at her companions in turn. They nodded back and they tied their horses in front before entering the building. Soon finding a table, they had a hushed conversation.  
  
"The prince disappearing in the night?" Saraia said thoughtfully, frowning still.  
  
"Rather odd, no?" Iori noted.  
  
"Very true," Dia agreed.  
  
"I think he ran off," Daisuke said, tracing some pattern on the wood of the table. "I've heard that he was restless. I would leave it to him to do it."  
  
"You're right, for once," Saraia slowly said. "He has powerful magic and that palace is very hard to penetrate if you're an enemy. Besides, the eagle would have told me if he was in danger. That was no ordinary bird."  
  
"What will it be?" the voice of a serving maid interrupted them. With long brown hair and an ample bosom (particularly emphasized by her low bodice), she seemed like she also did things other than serving in this inn. She favored each of the males with a sly, almost seductive, glance, and then shot an icy glare to Saraia, whose ears were luckily hidden below the long mass of her hair.  
  
"Three ales and a small glass of red wine," Saraia said, giving the girl a look that blew the glare away by a long shot and speaking in a crisp, cool tone. "And by the way, none of them are mine. You're welcome to them, except for him." She pointed to Iori. "He's the type to remain celibate for a while until he finds the right one and I think he's too young for your taste, no? Get to it, girl."  
  
The maid looked almost frightened, stammered a response, and then swiftly walked away. As Saraia gazed at her retreating back in mild distaste, the males, who had been holding in their amusement, burst out in uproarious howls of laughter.  
  
"Gods, Saraia, that always works," Daisuke laughed, wiping away tears.  
  
Iori chuckled, yet was slightly flushed. "Very true, I must commend on your skill, my friend."  
  
Dia shook his head, but continue to laugh. "I almost pitied the girl. Iori, are you permanently celibate, or is it just a ruse she invented, because it is getting old, and I'm, sadly enough, beginning to believe it."  
  
"I wouldn't know," the shorter man chortled.  
  
Saraia looked stern but a twinkle was in her eye as she mutely accepted a small glass the serving maid handed her, trembling in fear. Sniffing it, she narrowed her eyes. Then she seized the girl's wrist.  
  
"Who touched this?" the elf demanded hotly.  
  
"I don't know," the girl stammered, frightened.  
  
"She lies," Iori said quietly, pushing his mug away.  
  
"Who had it before you served it?" Saraia snarled, and the girl somehow wrenched free and fled. Getting up, the four beings followed after her swiftly. She ran out to an alley and a scream filled the air. By the time they reached there, only her lifeless body remained.  
  
"What was so suspicious?" Daisuke asked.  
  
"The drink was laced with a poison specially designed for elves, and I scented something wrong with your drinks as well," Saraia said grimly, examining the body. "We have to get out of here. Damn it."  
  
They discreetly fled from the town on horseback. As they rode, Daisuke asked, "Where are we going?"  
  
"Daisuke, do you know where the prince would have gone if he was able to leave the palace?" Iori asked.  
  
"He said something about going south, maybe to the west." his voice trailed off and he swore. "Shit! Into the Yagami no man's land!"  
  
"I never knew he was that foolish," Saraia commented dryly. "We should head that way as well then. I need to talk to some friends of mine who dwell in the tropical forests."  
  
"Alright," Dia nodded and urged his horse on a little faster.  
  
~*~  
  
Koushiro was awakened from his slumber by the sound of horse hooves. Getting up, his magical energy mostly relieved, he stood his ground. A blonde man on a horse trotted nearby and the mage shot a bolt to stun at the horse. The horse, a mare and a battle horse obviously, dodged it, screaming a warning. Koushiro then appeared nearby.  
  
"Unless you want me to kill you right now, explain your business here," the mage said, purple electricity lacing inside of his hands.  
  
Gold light surrounded Takeru. "Let me pass," he snapped.  
  
"Not yet, Prince," Koushiro said grimly, already knowing the rank of the man. "Tell me, when does a Takaishi prince come around here?"  
  
"Just let me pass, gods damn you," the man said through gritted teeth.  
  
"Alright, I see you are not a threat." Koushiro reluctantly let the electricity to die down as the light faded. "My name is Koushiro Izumi, wandering mage and magic user, once of the realm of Kido."  
  
"Takeru of Takaishi, prince naturally," Takeru said.  
  
"Why are you out here?" Koushiro asked, curiosity getting the better of him.  
  
"I want to see the world," Takeru said. "My parents and my older brother always stifle me, they are too protective."  
  
"That's a good thing," Koushiro responded, lips twisting into a grimace. "Me, I was on the streets a little after I was born. If it wasn't for a generous couple and a compassionate, if slightly eccentric, sorcerer, I wouldn't be here today."  
  
"I want to head to Yagami, maybe they may need a soldier in their armies."  
  
"Fight in your own army," Koushiro said, hands on hips.  
  
"My parents won't let me," the prince said glumly.  
  
"If you are heading there, at least let me go along, I have no home, so I might as well follow you."  
  
"Oh all right," Takeru said reluctantly and Koushiro smiled.  
  
"You will not regret it, Takeru, I promise you that."  
  
~*~  
  
Yamato looked at his parents, taking a deep breath. "Mother, Father?" They looked up and he continued. "I'm going after Takeru."  
  
"I won't let you, we lost one son, we do not want to lose the other," his mother said.  
  
"I have to do this, he's my responsibility too. This way I can see the world as well. You can't keep me here forever. Even if you cage me, I will find a way to get out, so I ask you now."  
  
His father took a deep breath. "I remember saying something like that to my own father. If you must, you have my consent."  
  
His mother wept but nodded. "I see, but Yamato you are always my child." She then embraced him. "Find Takeru and come home."  
  
"I promise. Mother, Father," he whispered and wrenching free, he prepared for his journey.  
  
As he rode out on another warhorse, a gray mare named Hellspawn, he kept an impassive face. He did not ride for very long until he nearly crashed into a group of very strange people.  
  
A young woman with blue-green hair looked at him and shook her head. "Well, well, well, speak of the prince, now here he is."  
  
A brunette looked at Yamato and bowed politely. "Your highness."  
  
"What?" The blonde reached for his sword, but the woman shook her head.  
  
"We mean you no harm."  
  
"Maybe introductions are needed as well as a place to sit," an emerald-eyed brunette suggested.  
  
Later, settled by the road, they introduced themselves and told their stories.  
  
"So both my brother and I are two of these elemental warriors?" Yamato asked.  
  
The woman, introduced as Saraia and an elf, nodded. "Yes, and these two-" she pointed to Daisuke and Iori, the two brunettes. "-Are two of them as well."  
  
"He is undoubtedly headed south," the raven-haired man, Andia, but called Dia by everyone else, said quietly.  
  
"What? I thought he was smarter than that!" Yamato exclaimed.  
  
"So did I," the elf said, shrugging. "We might as well travel together, if you do not mind." She gazed at Yamato with those strange green eyes.  
  
"Of course not," the blonde man said. "I thank you all for helping me."  
  
"Everything isn't over, Prince Yamato," Dia warned.  
  
"That I know so well. Shit," Yamato groaned, covering his eyes and leaning back.  
  
~*~  
  
Sora sat up in her bed, sweating from nightmares for the third time that week.  
  
"My queen?" Miyako's voice, comforting yet worried, floated in from the door.  
  
"Please, get some sleep, Miyako. If you can't, at least let me."  
  
"It is urgent, I found something out from the crystal."  
  
"For Artemis's sake, get in here then, woman!"  
  
Miyako stepped inside, wearing a simple robe of dark green over her usual clothing, and looking very worried. She was wearing thin lenses of crystal held in wire frames, inventions she claimed helped to improve her sight, though it was perfect without them, her being one of the best archers among all the Amazons.  
  
"Your majesty, a shadow reaches for us from the south, fleets of ships will come and slowly take over our lands. Creatures that should have been long dead or gone now lurk in the forests, we must ally ourselves with the mainlanders."  
  
Sora nodded curtly. "We must?"  
  
"They are in peril as well and divided we will all fall, but if we stand together we may survive."  
  
"Then I must speak with the ruler of the lands to the West and North, the kingdom of Yagami, they have the best ties with us for centuries."  
  
"I am going with you, I feel that I maybe needed."  
  
"Alright," Sora sighed. "My cousin Ruki will have to take over. She is competent."  
  
"She will rule wisely in your absence, I have seen it," Miyako said quietly. "I have already prepared for this journey, my queen."  
  
"I thank you, Miyako, you are like a sister to me," Sora said, sliding out of her bed and swiftly dressing.  
  
"You saved my life when my mother fell in battle, it is but small repayment," the sorceress whispered and exited the room.  
  
~*~  
  
Mimi rode on, in a daze. She had no clue how long she had ridden, days, weeks; it was all lost, as she didn't even complain to herself. It seemed she was in a dream. Then as she rode on, she found herself in a forest. Unknown to her, she had crossed over the border between Tachikawa and Kido some time before. In a forest, she closed her eyes as she felt at peace among all the plants.  
  
Then her mare reared at a sudden movement and she fell, screaming. Landing, she felt her ankle twist painfully under her.  
  
"Miss! Are you alright?" A young man with blue hair dismounted from his horse and ran to her. She nodded, wincing as tears of pain sprang into her eyes.  
  
"Yes, it was just a little scare," she said, breathing hard. His dark eyes gazed into hers.  
  
"I am so sorry. I have a strange habit of appearing at the oddest times." He gently helped her up. "You need to see a healer, my lady." In his arms, Mimi felt oddly at peace, the daze disappearing. "You may ride with me, my home is a several hours' ride however."  
  
"It is alright," she said. "I thank you, Sir."  
  
"Joseph, people call me Joseph. And who may the beautiful lady I now hold in my arms be?"  
  
"Mi- Marie, my name is Marie," Mimi said, thinking quickly.  
  
"Where are you from?" he asked gently as he tied the reins of her mare to his own horse.  
  
"Tachikawa, my parents died and I." She was quiet as he gazed at her with a sympathetic eye.  
  
"I see, I will not delve into the subject any longer."  
  
~*~  
  
"I see," the dark haired young man said quietly. "I will rule in your absence my cousin."  
  
"I thank you, Eriol," Ken said sincerely.  
  
"Not a problem," the other man laughed softly. "I promise I will not be a tyrant."  
  
"You better not, or I'll come back and hurl you to the depths of the earth where the nastiest creatures that could ever exist in nightmares roam," the prince, now king, said, slightly joking but warning.  
  
Eriol only smiled. "Never will I do such a thing, you are part of my family."  
  
"Many thanks, and may the true darkness never swallow you."  
  
"And may the path you are given be swift and safe."  
  
~*~  
  
Sora trudged easily along the coastline of the kingdom of Yagami, Miyako following after her. "We have some traveling before us, Miyako."  
  
"I am glad I brought this," Miyako pulled out a smaller version of her crystal from a pouch. "Your majesty, I can transport us some distance from here, but I will need a map."  
  
Sora nodded. "Fine, I thank you. It will save us some time."  
  
~*~  
  
Takeru wiped sweat off of his forehead as he squinted off to the distance. "You know this area, Koushiro?"  
  
"Yes I do, very well in fact," the mage replied. "We need to walk some more then go to the west, where the capital city of this kingdom is."  
  
"What is that?" Takeru noticed a group of riders fast approaching.  
  
"Damn!" Koushiro cursed. "Desert bandits."  
  
"If we must fight, we will," Takeru said grimly, pulling out his sword.  
  
"Of course, I need practice." A wry, bloodthirsty smile rested upon the mage's lips. The bandits, expecting easy targets, were surprised and Takeru decimated much of their number. Koushiro summoned bolts of lightning that struck down riders everywhere. It was a bloody battle but even as the two men fought viciously, more came. Then suddenly, they ran off.  
  
"What the hell?" Takeru asked. A group of new riders approached, a brown haired man on a stallion leading them.  
  
"What are you intruding upon our territory?" he demanded curtly.  
  
"We are only wanderers," Takeru said.  
  
"Yet you still trespass without good reason," the man said coldly. "I should kill you where you stand."  
  
"Brother, they fought off those bandits, and I sense no deception about them," another rider, female by the voice, but hidden under two veils, one covering her hair and the other covering the bottom half of her face, spoke up.  
  
The man gave them both a long, appraising look, and then nodded curtly. "Fine, those scum cause me trouble anyways. 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend' then, no?"  
  
"I thank you, your Majesty," Koushiro said, bowing to the man.  
  
"Majesty?" Takeru hissed.  
  
"That's King Taichi and that woman is Princess Hikari, you fool," Koushiro hissed back, and Takeru bowed as well.  
  
"I thank you for your hospitality then."  
  
"It is on my sister's behalf, come we have a long ride to the palace." The man, now known as Taichi, turned his horse around, facing the west.  
  
Koushiro and Takeru looked at each other, then Takeru mounted his horse, Koushiro riding behind him.  
  
~*~  
  
Yamato rode with his companions, dully aware of his surroundings. Which was a very idiotic thing for him to do. He didn't see the ambush until it was nearly too late. The time he had was used in drawing his sword.  
  
Saraia then dropped her weapon in defeat, sounding slightly disgusted. "We're surrounded, drop your weapons." A group of men, all with dark hair, pale skin, pointed ears, and an air of darkness about them, came out, a number with bows already strung. Saraia let out an angry hiss. "Dark elves."  
  
"Well, well, what have we got here?" one who seemed to be the leader drawled lazily. "Three humans, a shadow being, and one of our light cousins. Not a bad catch for today, eh?"  
  
He then approached Saraia, who glared at him. For a moment he lightly touched her long blue green hair until she slapped his hand away. He struck her across the face and Yamato saw that although she didn't cry out, her lower lip was bleeding.  
  
"Yamato, you idiot," he said to himself angrily, cursing inventively.  
  
"Bind them all to their horses, don't forget the blindfold them. Drug them as well, this one here and the one in scarlet dose the most heavily," the dark elf leader snapped out the orders.  
  
Yamato struggled but strong arms caught hold of him as a sharp knife was settled on the back of his neck warningly. For a moment he caught Saraia's eye, she mouthed, 'Wait for now' before one of them pinched her nose and forced some kind of liquid down her throat.  
  
They bound his arms behind his back tightly and tied a blindfold around his head. Then some kind of vile liquid was forced into his mouth. He tried to struggle but they held him tightly as one kept his mouth closed, thus forcing him to swallow. As he did so, a strange, heavy feeling washed over him, as he felt distant from his body, all of his senses numbed. Then someone lifted him onto his horse and tied him firmly there. They must have used some sort of magic to darken his horse's senses, for the warhorses bred in Ishida were trained to fight to the death anyone who wasn't designated "safe."  
  
Who knew how many days they traveled like that, being re-dosed with the drug whenever it started to fade from their systems. After what Dia gauged to be at least twelve days, they were then taken off of their horses and led into some kind of cell. He growled to himself in frustration, the anger burning the last dregs of the drugs in his system. Traces of it were still left but it was mostly gone. He then touched out to Saraia through a mental connection they had forged over the period of time they had been together.  
  
'Saraia?'  
  
'Dia?'  
  
'Are you alright?'  
  
'I guess so, the drug is disappearing now because they haven't replaced it.'  
  
'We are in deep trouble. And where the hell are we?'  
  
'In some kind of dungeon cell. We must be deep within Yagami because for a moment I scented tropical forest.'  
  
'Damn, but we have to get out of here.'  
  
'Leave that to me. But I will signal you when the time is right.'  
  
'Good.'  
  
Daisuke blinked in the harsh light of the torches, the light torturing his eyes. He felt the strength of his bonds as he looked at his friends, who looked for the worse. They had all been brought up and their blindfolds taken off. On a throne in front of them was a lean, muscular dark elf wearing a circlet, looking at Saraia with a look of slight interest.  
  
"You found them?" he then asked to a guard standing nearby.  
  
"Yes my lord."  
  
"Interesting, and with strong auras of magic around them as well. Bring the light elf up here." Struggling, Saraia was brought up as he inspected her. "She would make an interesting little toy."  
  
She spat in his face. "I'm no one's whore!" In a swift movement, she undid her ropes and slashed at the elf with long talons that had grown from her fingers. He looked at her in surprise before he died. "Dia!" She then turned to the guards on either side of her, swiftly taking care of them.  
  
"Right," the being said and concentrated. "Shadow Blade!" Blades of darkness hurtled through the air and sliced through the other captives' bindings.  
  
They got up, rubbing sore muscles. "Our weapons were taken so we will have to use magic," Iori said and concentrated as guards trickled into the room. "Psy Flare!" A large comet of emerald green fire hurtled through and hit the first ranks of them.  
  
"Gladly," Daisuke said grimly. "Steel Wing!" Sharp shards of metal flew, hitting many with deadly accuracy.  
  
They fought on but more just came coming. "Alright, this ends now," Yamato, snarled. "Icy Desolation!" Winds of ice surrounded the remaining guards and just somehow, they disappeared with a collective scream.  
  
"I commend you on your magical prowess," Saraia said, staggering before Daisuke supported her. Her magical powers were powerful, but often draining on her part.  
  
"Well, you were the one who initiated it," the blonde said. "We have to find our weapons and get out of here."  
  
"No need to search, here they are," Iori had a tray of their weapons. "We should try to take something from the treasury perhaps. Our funds were most likely stolen."  
  
"Is this the Iori I know? The one who disapproves of looting?" Dia said in mock horror. "Who replaced you?"  
  
Ignoring him pointedly, Iori gestured for them to follow. "It's over here."  
  
When they entered the treasury, they stared for a moment, except for Saraia and Iori. It was a treasure house of gems, precious metals, weapons, and finely crafted objects.  
  
Saraia walked toward a rack of bows and setting hers down, inspected one of the staves. "This is excellent work, these date back thousands of years. My grandsire might have created some of these." She picked up a particularly unique one, created out of a flexible white colored wood and strengthened with the adding of a silver-like material in certain areas. A design was etched in the metal that bound the center of the bow, of a large phoenix with four wings. "Grandfather." A misty look was in her eyes as she cradled it in her arms and strung it with a string from a supply of them nearby.  
  
Yamato turned his attention to a rack of swords, along with Dia and Daisuke. Dia was handling a large black broad sword with a degree of respect.  
  
"This blade belongs to one of my kind," he said, running a hand down the well-forged hilt.  
  
Daisuke picked out a short sword with a design of red and blue in the hilt, a good-sized crystal in the pommel. "Not bad work, better than what those thieves at some forges create and sell." He then blinked, shaking his head.  
  
A certain blade caught Yamato's eye. It was a katana, longer than most but not so very long as to hinder the user. He picked it up and something just sang out in him, calling to the blade. An ice blue gem on the hilt glowed for a second before fading.  
  
"I might as well take this," he said gruffly, slinging it on his back.  
  
Iori was inspecting a rack of crystals and some staffs that could only be sorcerer's staffs. He touched a crystal that was dome shaped and colored a dull, almost ugly gray. Then it exploded with light under his touch as a strong silver glow burst from it. "Could it really be a moon gem?" It felt warm to his touch as he took it in his hands. Then he picked up a staff that was well balanced and right for his size, an odd socket on the top. Some intuition had him place the crystal in there and it fit perfectly, and nothing would be able to move it.  
  
Saraia then picked up a quiver of arrows fletched with silver and white feathers. Pulling one arrow out, she approved of it but took a double take when she looked back at the quiver. Another arrow had replaced the one taken. The elf laughed. So it was enchanted to supply a limitless number of arrows. A useful enchantment she had to admit.  
  
"Is everyone ready?" she called out, slinging it on her back.  
  
"Almost," Daisuke said, strapping on some throwing daggers onto wrist and leg sheaths as well as his belt.  
  
"I know where the stables are," Iori said quietly, walking toward them with his staff. The crystal had faded but still had a silver sheen to it.  
  
Yamato picked up several small bags filled with gems. Gems were less abstruse than gold and who knew what kind of currency they used in Yagami, so it was more useful. Putting one in his belt pouch, he strapped the rest on. Dia, noticing, nodded approvingly, picking up some himself. Daisuke had already taken a few things himself to use. While she waited, Saraia saw a series of shelves with flasks and bottles on them.  
  
Walking over, she picked up a silver one and opened it, lightly sniffing the contents. Her eyebrows rose as she closed it then picked up one made of leather and silver, meant for traveling, opening it as well. She then smiled and strapped it to her belt.  
  
"What is that for?" Daisuke commented.  
  
"This, my mortal friend, is a bottle that has a special draught. It is only known among the elves and brings strength and new vigor to the drinker," she said and nodded to Iori. "Lead the way, Iori."  
  
He bowed to her. As she walked past Daisuke, he noted something green and sparkling was around her neck before she shifted and it was covered. Iori led them through a maze of hallways before they came to a courtyard. Some stables were nearby and they sneaked through the cover of darkness to retrieve their mounts. Swiftly saddling them, the group rode out, soon under the cover of the tropical forest around.  
  
~*~  
  
Takeru gazed at the city around him, a clamor of shouts, noises, scents, and color. Hikari rode by him and laughed. "You look as if you have never seen a city before."  
  
"I have, just not one as special as this," he looked at her, at those sparkling brown eyes just above the veil. He wondered idly how she would look without it, and then blushed slightly for thinking such thoughts.  
  
They held a hint of mischief as she urged her horse on. "Wait till you see the palace."  
  
```  
  
Takeru sighed in content, surrounded by soothing water. Koushiro winked at him from where he was getting a massage from a servant girl not too bad in the ways of good looks. Shaking his head at his friend, he got out of the pool, wrapping a towel around himself and walking to his room. His clothes were currently being cleaned so new ones were provided for him. Scents of sandlewood and spices spilled out as he opened the wardrobe, filling his nostrils pleasantly with their sweet and spicy aromas. He swiftly dressed, choosing loose breeches of dark green silk and a short sleeved white silk shirt along with a vest of green brocade.  
  
Walking along the marble hallways, he finally stopped at a terrace that overlooked gardens. The scent of roses reached his nose and he did not notice a figure lightly tap his shoulder for a moment. He whirled around to face Princess Hikari.  
  
"Princess," he bowed to her. She was dressed in light rose pink dress of a clinging sheer material. Her hair was bound up in an elegant knot and held with pins of gold and gems. A near transparent pink veil covered the bottom half of her face, not really hiding her face.  
  
"You make an amazing transformation, Takeru," she said, smiling at him.  
  
"As do you, you are more beautiful than I last saw you," he responded. A fragrance of lilies with a hint of spices surrounded her and it was very hard not to become intoxicated with the scent.  
  
She laughed softly, a bell like sound. "Will you care to escort me to the feast?"  
  
"I would be enchanted to escort such a lovely vision," Takeru bowed to her, offering his arm.  
  
~*~  
  
"We are here," Jyou announced, his castle in sight, and the girl in front of him shook off the last remains of sleep from her eyes.  
  
Her eyes widened. "You dwell here?"  
  
"Yes," he chuckled. "You may be my guest for the time being. There are many rooms in the castle, feel free to help it be filled with laughter and life."  
  
She looked at him then smiled. As they rode in, a stable boy bowed to Jyou. "Your majesty."  
  
"You're the king?" Mimi turned pale. This was her betrothed!  
  
"Yes, but it is all right," he soothed, helping her down. "Let me show you to your rooms."  
  
Trembling slightly, she allowed him to do so, yet felt soothed in his comforting, gentle arms.  
  
~*~  
  
Miyako squinted around. "I cannot teleport us anymore, your majesty, my powers are growing faint."  
  
"Rest," Sora said, resting a hand on the younger girl's shoulder.  
  
"What are the both of you doing here?" A group on horseback suddenly had them surrounded.  
  
"We are here to see the King of Yagami," Sora said, her voice calm and her face stern. "For diplomatic reasons."  
  
"Amazons?" one said scornfully. "Why would you want to do with the King? Assassinate him?"  
  
Sora's eyes flashed. "The kingdom of Yagami and Takenouchi had forged an alliance many years ago. It is time to make use of it."  
  
"I say we kill them," said the scornful one but another one stopped him.  
  
"Nay, we will not spill perhaps innocent blood here, we might as well take them to the king." Miyako looked somewhat disgruntled as she and Sora were escorted to wherever the king was, having a very low opinion for men herself.  
  
~*~  
  
Some time before the feasting, the two Amazons were pushed into the throne room. Taichi gazed at them coolly and turned to his guards.  
  
"What is the meaning of this?"  
  
Sora stood tall and straight, looking him in the eye. "King Taichi, I am Queen Sora from the Islands of Takenouchi, ruling over the Amazons and the alliance of the islands. Long ago, our two kingdoms forged an alliance. A growing darkness approaches from the far south. I ask of you that we may once more have a military alliance to drive off this darkness."  
  
"And why should I?" Taichi asked coolly, leaning forward.  
  
"Because we must, this darkness will swallow up the world one by one if we are separate," Miyako said. "But together we will be able to face it on easier ground and perhaps beat it."  
  
"I find truth in your words," Taichi said finally, steepling his hands. "A growing power is in the east of my kingdom, in the center of the continent. Then we must negotiate with the other kingdoms if we are to pinpoint it."  
  
"I thank you," Sora said, looking at Taichi with sincere respect upon her face.  
  
"You may stay here in my palace for the time being," he said. "There is a feast tonight and you are welcome to join it. after being slightly more presentable."  
  
Miyako looked slightly annoyed, but she had to admit, he had a point. The clothes she and Sora were wearing were. well; let's just say they had seen better days. They both bowed politely to Taichi as servants led them to rooms and baths.  
  
```  
  
"I am not wearing a dress!"  
  
"But miss, you cannot go out in something like that!"  
  
"Try me."  
  
"Miyako, just find something else," Sora said, drying off her hair.  
  
The shaman shot the maid a glare and gestured for her to get out. Gladly the servant fled. Miyako grumbled as she pulled out something that wasn't too feminine nor restricting in movement from the closet.  
  
"Honestly."  
  
Sora laughed, changing into her own clothes. "Miyako, try to control your temper."  
  
The other female snorted. "It's hard to when you're dealing with ninnies like these. What do you think?"  
  
Sora looked and approved. Miyako was wearing loose silk breeches tied at the bottom so the ends wouldn't flap around, thus perhaps tripping her, and a long sleeved shirt with the bottom cut off and clinging to her, and thus revealing her lean stomach and lower back, both made of lavender silk to match her hair, elaborately embroidered in violet and silver. She had hidden several daggers on her person, just in case.  
  
Sora was wearing something very similar to hers, only slightly more elaborate and in ruby red silk with red embroidery. The gold circlet around her brow was shining and gleamed beautifully, the light of the red gem on it smoldering like a coal. A short scimitar hung from around her waist on a silken sash.  
  
Miyako then pulled out her shaman's circlet, a band of silver with etchings of birds upon it along with a single amethyst, and put it on. She was also wearing her "spectacles," probably to make herself look more imposing.  
  
"Very nice, how do I look?" Sora inquired. "Impressive or seducible?"  
  
"Impressive," Miyako judged. "Because of that scimitar around your waist."  
  
"It's an illusion," Sora laughed. "I wouldn't actually wear one."  
  
"Speak for yourself, you should have seen some of the looks the guards and servants were giving us," the shaman grumbled. "If they dare to make a move, I'm either going to give them the plague or blast them to Ichijouji."  
  
"Temper, temper," Sora warned, then mused. "That Taichi, what do you think of him?"  
  
"I have to admit, he has a strong sense of leadership, I can respect him, however grudgingly," Miyako said thoughtfully.  
  
"No, in the ways of looks," Sora blushed.  
  
"Oh, is my queen having an infatuation?" Miyako teased. "He's not bad in the ways of good looks. You have very good taste, my queen."  
  
"Miyako!" She lightly slapped her shaman on the shoulder, the younger girl only laughed in response, grinning broadly and wickedly.  
  
"We should get down to the feast," the girl said and opened the door, bowing to her queen but grinning.  
  
The feasting hall was an elegant room. A long table ran down it, along with chairs. Takeru gazed at it in wonder as Hikari directed him to seats to the left of her brother. Koushiro was already there, and dressed impeccably in clean mage robes. A young man with blue-black hair sat near Taichi, talking with him quietly. Takeru felt an odd magic about him, and a strangely disquieting look in those indigo eyes.  
  
Two women entered and he raised an eyebrow. Though dressed in what may be considered scandalous clothing up in Ishida, they were anything but seducible, the clothing revealing sinewy muscles and lithe forms that showed they were deadly in combat. The one with the silver circlet observed him for a long moment, hidden power and wisdom within her amber eyes behind those curious lenses on her face, before sitting beside the woman with the gold band with a royal, ruling air about her. The feasting began as Taichi introduced them all to each other. During that time, the young man with the indigo eyes was aloof, but not arrogant, even as he received startled gasps and probing looks when introduced as a representative of Ichijouji. An almost sad, distant look was in his eyes, and Miyako noticed that as she offered him a brief, comforting smile.  
  
Despite his aura of shadow magic, Miyako felt as though she could trust him, her intuition rarely wrong. As he saw her smile, a flicker of surprise went across his face as his features softened and he nodded graciously to her. Though it didn't seem possible, the shaman was very good with children and others who needed comforting or had problems of the soul, heart, or spirit.  
  
~*~  
  
'Damn,' Daisuke thought. 'Captured again. When will this stop?'  
  
They were surrounded by a number of men on horseback, watching their every move. At least they weren't drugged or tied up, Daisuke reflected as he guided his horse. Saraia had aroused much curiosity from the men, but she firmly showed that she was not to be taken lightly. Their weapons stayed with their owners (after an incident with Dia's sword, none of them wanted to dare touch the group's weapons).  
  
The feasting was over and entertainment was about to begin when guards shoved five prisoners in. Taichi looked slightly annoyed.  
  
"Yes?" he asked.  
  
"These intruders were not too far from the dark elf settlement," one of the guards said.  
  
"And this one's an elf," one said, pointing to Saraia, who looked very disgruntled.  
  
"I'm not a dark elf, mortal!" she snapped. "They captured us and we managed to escape."  
  
"Where are the elves then?" Taichi asked.  
  
"We killed them," Dia said; face emotionless as he looked at Taichi with those strange dark, catlike eyes.  
  
Takeru then saw the face of the blonde man among that group. "Yamato?" He got up, shocked.  
  
"Takeru?" Yamato looked up.  
  
"Great gods!" Takeru ran down and embraced him.  
  
"What is the meaning of this?" Taichi asked.  
  
"He is my brother, your majesty," Takeru said.  
  
"If you did kill the dark elves, who have been a growing nuisance, prove it," Taichi said.  
  
Saraia smiled sweetly but somewhat nastily and flung down a bow. It was obviously of dark elf design and make. "Is that enough?" Everyone knew that the bow of a dark elf could never be taken unless the elf was killed outright for they protected their weapons with their lives. She then flung down another thing, a black crown; the same crown that had once adorned the head of the dark elf ruler.  
  
Her voice was flat, as she said, "Never doubt the word of one of my kind, King Taichi." She looked at him with frosty green eyes that were far older than she appeared.  
  
"I take your word and I thank you," Taichi said, unruffled but a new respect in his eyes for her and her friends.  
  
"Good," she said, then turned and started to walk from the room.  
  
"Wait," he called. "I offer my hospitality to you." She turned and faced him, a slight smile adorning her features.  
  
"And I accept your offer." She hid the glowing moonstone on her gauntlet, now knowing that most of the twelve warriors were assembled.  
  
Later that night, a soft tap came at the door to Saraia's room. She opened it and found Dia standing there.  
  
"I saw you hiding the moonstone, so most of the warriors are here?" he asked as she invited him in.  
  
"Yes, most of them, we only need two more," she said, sitting down.  
  
"That's good, can you tell where those remaining are?"  
  
She closed her eyes then opened them. "To the south, in Kido." She then paced. "I can see some of the future, and it appears that there is a chance that I may die."  
  
Dia sat in his own seat. "The future is fluid, it can change."  
  
She shrugged. "Elves usually see their deaths by foresight."  
  
"I hate destiny, there is no such thing as a fore ordained path," the warrior said, hand near the hilt of his new broadsword strapped to his back.  
  
"Very true," she laughed. "Care for something to drink?"  
  
"If you do not mind."  
  
Saraia poured two goblets of a clear liquid that had the scent of roses wafting from it. "I hope you do not mind juice, liquor clouds my senses if I drink too much."  
  
"Not at all," the warrior said mildly, accepting a glass. "And it's not poisoned, eh?"  
  
She chuckled. "I checked. And it's some kind of nectar, very nice I have to admit." The elf took a long sip, looking thoughtful. Her shirt was partially open at the collar, revealing a necklace made of sparkling emeralds; all perfect in color and cut into varying sizes.  
  
"What is that?" Dia pointed it out.  
  
"It is an heirloom I found at the treasury in that fortress. My people have been searching for this for centuries." She fingered a large stone that rested in between her collarbones. "But it is nothing compared to the true worth of the forest. As Prince-" She stopped herself.  
  
"Saraia?" Dia questioned. "Was that word princess by any chance?"  
  
"I have- oh all right, there's nothing worth escaping you once you're onto something. I am a princess, second daughter to an elven king, that's why I travel. My brother is the main heir."  
  
He nodded. "I never would have known, your highness."  
  
"I'm still the same Saraia," she lightly punched him. "Being princess doesn't mean anything to me."  
  
He lightly kissed her hand. "But still, you need respect."  
  
"I prefer to earn it by myself."  
  
"And you already have," he laughed. "I should get some rest. Good night, Saraia."  
  
"Good night, Dia," she said. "Don't tell anyone else."  
  
"I promise," he said just as he walked out the door.  
  
~*~  
  
Miyako tossed and turned, before she fell out of her bed, growling several curses. She needed fresh air. Although she was a shaman, she often slept outside, feeling close with the sky and the air. Slipping out, she walked through the hallways. Going out onto a balcony, she summoned her wind powers to levitate her to the roof. Whispering thanks to the spirits who helped her as she landed safely up there, she looked up at the stars.  
  
"So you like the view up here too?" She nearly screeched in shock and turned swiftly, a dagger in hand. Ken was up there, dressed simply and his hair slightly tousled.  
  
"Yes, I like the open sky," she said shortly, sheathing her weapon.  
  
"Don't tell me, you have control over wind," he said, sitting by her.  
  
"Yes, shadow mage," she informed him and he looked pained.  
  
"Please, do not judge me by my magic."  
  
"I am not, your magic may be of shadows, but it is not truly evil," she said in a more gentle voice.  
  
"Where are those spectacles you were wearing?" he inquired.  
  
"I don't need them, I just say they improve my vision," she laughed.  
  
"Funny how an Amazon cares about looks," he said, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"We're not barbarians," she said tartly, looking at the stars.  
  
Ken laughed, a full, rich sound that caused the shaman to raise a mild eyebrow, but not in dislike, only in mild surprise. "Yes, you are far too intelligent."  
  
She smiled. "I thank you."  
  
"Your name is Miyako, is it not?" he then asked.  
  
"Yes, and yours is Ken." She looked off to the distance. "That elf woman, she shows very little of what she truly is."  
  
"I have never met an elf like her," Ken said. "In Ichijouji, there are elves but they are known as the Gray elves, and they are a bit different than the ones here. Very good at creating things, instruments, utensils, ships, weapons." He gazed off as well at a small dot at the horizon. "Tell me, do you know that that shadowed area is?"  
  
"No, unfortunately I do not, but I sense a great evil from around it, shielding something of great power and goodness inside."  
  
"Oh." Ken lapsed into thought and Miyako got up.  
  
"I must leave, I need the rest and my queen will need me."  
  
"A moment," Ken said, getting up as well. "I am just asking, but has anyone told you how beautiful you are?"  
  
She turned sharply to him. "No, not really. Most men that see me are usually dead within some time. And I do not have a same sex lover and most likely never will."  
  
He then leaned forward and whispered, "Then let me have the honor of telling you how beautiful you are." He then disappeared into the shadows. Miyako shook her head, summoned up her wind spirits, and flew back to her room.  
  
There is no coincidence, only the inevitable. -Kaho, from Card Captor Sakura 


	3. Minuet

Celtic Guardian: Well?  
  
Me: Arghhhh! Ok, ok, I'm working on it. But I have writer's block.  
  
Syaoran: Excuses.  
  
Me: /shoves him out of the room/ Stay out of this!  
  
Celtic Guardian: /taps his foot on the ground, arms crossed/  
  
Me: /glare, vein popping/ Don't you dare.  
  
Daisuke: Uh, not even I'm stupid enough to deal with a pissed off author.  
  
Ken: /wisely pulls Daisuke from possible harm/ (no, not a Kensuke hint) Readers, please review. For our safety!  
  
Me: Muses!  
  
(BTW: If you want to understand this, you'll have to see the Author's note of my song fiction Blame it on the Weatherman)  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Minuet  
  
Saraia tossed and turned in her sleep, sinking into a deep trance that elves rarely went into. Sitting up, she gasped for breath as she wiped off sweat from her brow. Going to the window, she gazed out, flinging it open. A cool breeze came in and Saraia had a sudden desire to fly. Shifting into the shape of a falcon, she soared out, moonlight shining on her feathers.  
  
Dia paced in his room. As one of shadows, he needed very little sleep. Running a hand through his black mane of hair, he sighed, feeling suddenly very weary. He was getting old, despite his youthful appearance, and the days ahead weren't helping.  
  
Maybe I should consider going back to the Goddess, he mused to himself for a moment before chiding himself.  
  
The Goddess took back only those She wished to come. She decided when one in Her service would return to her side. Pouring a glass of wine, he sniffed it before drinking it, just out of old habits. Hearing the cry of a falcon, he looked outside and saw a pure white falcon soar nearby his window. A trace of a smile flickered on Dia's lips. That was Saraia all right; he always seemed to recognize her in animal form.  
  
~*~  
  
"Perhaps you would like to visit the city?" Hikari suggested the next day to all of them. "Then we can show you some of the forests."  
  
"It would be wonderful," Takeru said, looking at her with a certain emotion in his bright blue eyes. Saraia stifled a snicker. It was obvious the both of them liked each other. Yamato and Taichi looked amused as well.  
  
They walked down to the city below, disguising their appearance so they resembled a group of people just having a brief outing. Taichi had to stay at the palace, Iori and Koushiro as well. Yamato had politely declined, preferring to stay at the palace with Daisuke and Dia. The rest found excuses to leave both Hikari and Takeru to be alone together.  
  
"I need to bargain and find out something," Saraia said, walking off.  
  
"It would be interesting to find out how they use magic here," Miyako said and Sora followed, along with Ken as well.  
  
"That leaves us then," Takeru blushed as Hikari giggled.  
  
"Come on, I want to show you this shop." She led him through a maze of streets.  
  
A group of girls in scandalous and revealing clothing and decked out in cosmetics and jewelry gazed at Takeru hungrily from the doorway and windows of a building, until Hikari shot them all an icy glare to which they sniffed haughtily.  
  
"I suppose I should know what trade they follow," Takeru said dryly.  
  
"Prostitutes," she muttered with some distaste. "Come on."  
  
She stopped by a closed door and tapped a soft rhythm on it. The door creaked open and she gestured to follow her. Inside, it was dimly lit and cool, with a vague spicy scent in the air, comforting and well adapted to the atmosphere. Piles of cushions and carpets were everywhere as silken hangings hung from the walls and ceiling.  
  
"Hikari, so you came back and you brought a friend," a soft, slightly hoarse, voice came from a shadowed corner.  
  
"Of course, this is Takeru."  
  
A figure clad in silver rose gracefully. Whoever it was, he or she was completely covered, including a thin, full-length face veil of thin silver gauze. "Any friend of Hikari is a friend of mine. Care for some sherbet?"  
  
"Yes, thank you," Takeru said. Was it just his imagination, or did the incense seem heavier for a moment, more like a blanket and sweeter? He blinked, and shook his head. The musical cascade of liquid falling into a cup came to his ears as the figure came bearing two goblets of the sweet drink. He took his and carefully sipped as Hikari removed her street veil of a simple brown cloth before drinking hers.  
  
"Now, I see you came to play one of my instruments or explore one of my rugs?" the figure asked with amusement, voice now clearer.  
  
"Yes, is it alright if I play the lap harp?"  
  
"But of course, you almost always played it for all the days you have visited here." The silver clad figure slipped away like a ghost and returned bearing one of the most beautiful instruments Takeru had ever seen. It was a small harp made of forged silver that gleamed like solid moonbeams, each string perfectly made and supple, slim threads of silver. Set into the silver was gems, moonstones mostly but a few sapphires here and there. The figure gently handled the instrument like a child before handing it to Hikari. "Careful now, sing as well."  
  
The princess took the instrument and strummed a few experimental chords. What came from the instrument was beautiful and ghostly at the same time, choruses of flutes and bird songs. She then started to play, singing in a soft, silvery voice. The song she sang was sad, of lost lovers and ages long past. Takeru was captivated by the music and was startled when it ended.  
  
"That was. beautiful," he whispered.  
  
She blushed. "The instrument's enchanted.. I think."  
  
"Very true, and I want you to have this," the silver clad figure said, pressing Hikari's hands gently around the harp.  
  
"But this is your most valuable instrument," Hikari protested, but her fingers tightened around the harp.  
  
The figure laughed, a gentle, bubbling sound like water falling from a pitcher. "Music is so valuable when it is /shared/, Hikari. That is what makes it so beautiful, sharing it with others as well as playing for you alone. Keep it, it is drawn to you."  
  
The instrument wrapped carefully in layers of silk and set within a carrying case, Hikari held it in her arms as she and Takeru bid the person good bye as they left. Watching them leave, the silver clad figure smiled from beneath layers of silk gauze. Young love was so innocent and they were meant for each other.  
  
~*~  
  
Saraia haggled a few more coppers off, the trader she was dealing with looking frustrated. She was an odd sight, especially because she was the only woman who wasn't wearing a veil about. She, Miyako, and Sora had refused to wear them. Obviously, women who didn't wear at least a sheer veil over the bottom half of their face weren't a very common sight.  
  
Luckily elves were gifted the talent of varied tongues, so they understood all languages easily, therefore allowing her to bargain with the seller. The man was swearing that he was being impoverished. She raised an eyebrow, looking at the varied herbs she was purchasing. Then her eye caught an odd looking key, dirty and looking worthless. But her sharp elven senses detected odd carvings on it, as well as tiny gems.  
  
"Alright, add that and I'll give you an extra silver coin," she told the trader, pointing to the key. Resigned, he packed her purchases as she paid him. Grumbling curses in Elven about mortal men, she strode out.  
  
~*~  
  
"Ah, so that's how they put magic into semi precious gems," Miyako nodded. "Very useful indeed."  
  
"Often the rarer the stone, the better it will be in spells," Sora said, her hood covering the gold band around her head.  
  
"True, rubies are known as protective stones and opals are the best at storing and generating magic, black being the top quality," Ken said.  
  
"I would love to be able to do that," Miyako said.  
  
"I can teach you the basics if you wish," Ken offered and she smiled. "Thank you."  
  
Sora chuckled to herself. 'It seems like Takeru and Hikari aren't the only love birds around here.'  
  
~*~  
  
They went back to the palace some time later. Saraia gave the key to Koushiro and Iori to inspect.  
  
"Fascinating, this metal seems like gold but is much lighter and harder than the usual kind," the red-haired mage said, inspecting it. Saraia then rubbed at it with a soft cloth and the dirt fell away easily, far too easily.  
  
"This is Elven," she frowned, pointing out to a series of long, flowing delicately shaped letters. "'By moonlight seek the door, and starlight will reveal the entrance. Then the key shall turn, and the Orb shall form with the twelve.'"  
  
"What in the world?" Koushiro mused.  
  
"Hmm, if my legends are correct," the elf said, green eyes looking at the key. "It is referring to the Sapphire Orb. There is a substance that elves put upon rock to mark doors, it glows only at night. So there's a door that this key will open that will only be revealed at night."  
  
"But what kind of door?" Iori asked.  
  
"I am getting to that. The temple that holds the Sapphire Orb has no visible doors at all, according to legend. So first we have to find the door, then use this key to open it," Saraia said. "There are ten of the twelve already gathered in this palace, only two remain."  
  
"Do you know all of their identities?" Koushiro asked eagerly.  
  
"You, Iori, Sora, Taichi, Yamato, Miyako, Ken, Daisuke, Takeru, and Hikari," she rattled off swiftly, smiling. "And two more left."  
  
"How can I be one of them?" the mage demanded.  
  
Saraia shrugged. "No clue, sometimes we're just pawns on a chessboard. Try to drop hints to them, no need for Yamato and Daisuke, they already know."  
  
"I'll try," Koushiro said. "I'll be doing some research."  
  
Saraia nodded. "I have some work to do. The merchants here are little more than thieves!"  
  
"Since when did elves have enterprising minds?" the mage said, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"You haven't known her for very long," Iori put in quietly. "And I take it you don't know many elves."  
  
Koushiro blinked before regaining his dignity and walking off, looking very much like an agitated cat. Saraia said that aloud, making Iori chuckle. Then she busied herself by unpacking her purchases.  
  
"Sometimes mortals amuse me so greatly," she said, holding up a dried leaf to the light and examining it.  
  
"It is nice to know how much we entertain you," Iori said dryly.  
  
She laughed, a nice sound that people rarely heard from her. "I am just kidding." Then she put the herbs away. "I do hope I may see the forests around here. Some of my kind, distant relatives actually, live in Yagami among the tropical forests."  
  
"That would be interesting," Iori agreed.  
  
"Would you mind helping me with staff practice? I have too many things upon my mind and a good workout should help me better to concentrate and relax."  
  
Iori blinked. "Of course. Just let me get my staff and change into something that is more suitable to that activity."  
  
Saraia nodded. "Same here. Taichi told me that we could use the practice courts that the soldiers use. Maybe I can practice my archery as well. Meet me here then after you change."  
  
They both separated. When they met each other again, Saraia was clad in a short-sleeved tunic of dark forest green and breeches of dark gray, and Iori was wearing something similar, only colored in faded beige. She had slung her bow and arrows on her back as the man was carrying his staff, the moon gem still embedded in the wood on top.  
  
"You can borrow a staff there," Iori suggested and she nodded.  
  
"Precisely, come on, he showed me where the training area was."  
  
When they arrived there, only a few soldiers were there, milling around. Setting her bow and quiver down on a safe spot, Saraia set up a shield around it to protect them from harm. Then she snatched up a stray staff in a shed, making sure of its balance. Facing Iori, she nodded and the battle began.  
  
They were both evenly matched and after exchanging furious blows, finally dealt with a draw. She then picked up her bow and quiver, heading toward the archery targets. A soldier stopped her.  
  
"Where do you think you're going, wench? And not even with a veil for modesty."  
  
"I am going to practice archery," she said quietly. "King Taichi allowed me access to the training areas at the palace."  
  
"Ha, not likely," he sneered. "Do you even know how to hold the thing?"  
  
"How about a match then between the both of you?" Iori asked crisply.  
  
"Fine with me," Saraia said, shrugging.  
  
"Good. Best out of three arrows," the soldier growled.  
  
She smiled sweetly, a trace of icy distance in her beryl green eyes that hinted warningly not to take her lightly. The target was set up as the soldier got his own bow and arrows. It was a difficult one even for professionals, a white circle a foot and a half wide in diameter and with a bright red circle inside about six inches wide in diameter with a smaller white circle about an inch in diameter within that.  
  
"You may go first," Saraia said politely, and grunting, the soldier shot his arrows slowly, one at a time.  
  
Two arrows landed in the outer red and white circles and one landed in the dead center of the inner white circle. He smirked at her and said smugly, "Let's see you do better, girl. Someone has to put you back behind the veil where you belong."  
  
She ignored him and plucked three arrows out of her quiver, handing two to Iori to hold for her. Stringing her bow with ease, she swiftly shot then snatched the arrows Iori handed her quickly, not needing to take her time with aim before shooting. The spectators nearby, who had gathered over time, gaped. Two arrows were embedded on either side of the arrow in the center, touching it exactly and the last split the soldier's arrow completely into two neat slivers of wood.  
  
Saraia gazed at the soldier coolly. "Before you challenge someone, be prepared to meet the consequences. And for your information, women of my kind do not wear veils." Walking to the target, she jerked her arrows out and slipped them back into her quiver.  
  
"I heard many legends of Elven skill in archery but it is another to see it take place," Taichi remarked mildly, leaning on a fence. The spectators jumped and bowed immediately to the monarch.  
  
"That was just a mere exercise, your Majesty," Saraia said respectfully, bowing slightly. Despite the vast age difference, she felt some respect for him as well as a like for him.  
  
"Please, I asked you to call me Taichi," he said warmly.  
  
She raised a mild eyebrow but a trace of something like a smile flickered across her lips. "All right, Taichi."  
  
*  
  
That night, Hikari leaned against Takeru as they looked over the garden on a balcony.  
  
"It's such a beautiful night," Hikari whispered.  
  
The music of a flute reached her ears, Saraia was sitting on a wall nearby a fountain, playing a simple instrument constructed of finely forged silver. The moonbeams shone on the elf woman's hair, making the long blue green stands have a fine silver sheen and making her tunic and breeches seem smoother and softer, almost like silk, colored gray and green tinted silver. It was a picture like any child would imagine an elf to be.  
  
"Not as beautiful as you," Takeru whispered then blushed.  
  
"I beg your pardon?" Hikari blinked.  
  
Dia walked below and looked up at her, moonlight shining on his white streaked raven colored hair. Instead of red, he was wearing black trimmed in silver. Saraia was still playing, but motioned to come up. He did, swiftly and easily running up the wall and landing beside her.  
  
"I truly think you're beautiful, Hikari. Doesn't it mean sunlight?"  
  
"Yes, and I thank you." She blushed.  
  
"Hikari, I think you're the most wonderful woman in the world. Are you sure you weren't born an angel?"  
  
"I highly doubt it." She laughed softly.  
  
He leaned toward her. "There are so many qualities I can love you for. Your beauty, your compassion, your laugh, your spirit."  
  
She smiled. "And you are gifted to have such honeyed and beautiful words, Takeru, as well as being so handsome and strong."  
  
He then suddenly kissed her and she responded quickly, her arms wrapping around his neck as his wrapped around her waist. The two hardly noticed that the music of the flute had stopped and the player of the instrument was observing them with her companion.  
  
*  
  
Dia and Saraia watched the couple above with amusement. "Such a nice night for romance," Saraia sighed.  
  
"Leave it to you to be a romantic," Dia grunted, but a twinkle was in his eyes.  
  
"Do not even try to kiss me, Dia," she warned him.  
  
"Perish the thought," he said mildly.  
  
"Good, because I think of you only as a very close friend, nothing more. Why are you wearing black?"  
  
Her companion shrugged. "I am of no place to question Her orders."  
  
"The Goddess sent them?"  
  
"Who else do you think? Are you sick, because I swear, you are sounding stupid."  
  
"Sorry," Saraia muttered darkly.  
  
"Besides, I have a bad feeling," he said softly, fingering the broadsword on his back.  
  
"You too?" She turned to face him sharply.  
  
"Death omens, no. Premonition: most likely yes, in my opinion anyway. Something nags me about what's in the far east of here."  
  
She shrugged and touched his hand lightly. "It is our duty to help protect the twelve chosen, has not your Goddess told you that?"  
  
"Apparently she smiles upon them and they are high in her favor."  
  
"Me, I really have nowhere to go. I cannot really go home because there is nothing to do, except go on border patrols and mope about in the palace. But sometimes I miss my family." She sighed and he put a light hand on her shoulder.  
  
"I wish I can attune to you more easily in those matters, Saraia."  
  
"I deal with it easily, because I have my own family here, if not the kind of blood always."  
  
Dia then dropped his hand from her shoulder and jumped down. "Get some rest, you need at least some."  
  
"I just want to stay out here for a while," she said, swinging her legs.  
  
"Suit yourself. Good night." Dia strode off. She watched him, then jumped down and went up to her room.  
  
~*~  
  
Takeru smelled the heavy, flower-scented air of the tropical forest and felt slightly thirsty. At least it was better than the desert, he reflected. The eleven (Taichi having to have been forced to stay at the palace for certain matters) riders rode on, a few guards trailing around. Saraia and Dia looked uneasy.  
  
"Something wrong?" the blond asked the elf, who, over the short time he knew her, was becoming much like a sister to him. "I thought you would love to meet your kin who live around here."  
  
"I do, but something isn't right," she responded tensely, her hand near her bow.  
  
"I agree," Dia growled, not looking the slightest bit uncomfortable in his raven black clothing.  
  
No sooner than they said that, then a group of the strangest creatures ambushed them. They were black skinned and frightfully ugly, with gruesome, grotesque faces and scarred, muscular bodies, all of them bearing weapons.  
  
"Orcs!" Saraia snarled, already shooting her arrows and bringing down many.  
  
"I thought they were myths!" Hikari yelled, holding on for dear life on her frightened horse.  
  
"Well, keep an open mind, princess!" the elf woman shouted and shot an orc just about to ambush Hikari.  
  
Daisuke, Yamato, Ken, Iori, and Dia were lashing out with weapons as well. Koushiro put his hands together, closed his eyes, and shouted, "Lightning Blaze!" Brilliant beams of lightning struck out several orcs, but more took their place.  
  
"Hikari!" Takeru screamed and let out one of his most devastating attacks. "Hope Mantra!" Glowing runes decimated the orcs around Hikari.  
  
Miyako and Sora were fighting fiercely, back to back, obviously used to that sort of fighting, with both magical and physical attacks.  
  
"Storm Blades!" Miyako cried, invisible, fine knives of air cutting into her opponents.  
  
"Blind Sight!" Sora shouted; her enemies blinded by the attack and she finished them off.  
  
Slowly but surely, the ranks of the orcs were thinning but the fighters were getting tired. Saraia shrieked in pain suddenly as a moment's carelessness cost her three fingers on her left hand. Rather than nursing the stumps and risking the loss of precious time, she fought on with more viciousness than ever, bringing down more of the enemy. The remaining orcs were then shot where they stood with arrows, but not from Saraia's bow.  
  
Elves jumped down from the canopy. They were different than Saraia, having hair of dark brown or black and blue eyes.  
  
"I am sorry we were unable to come more quickly," one who was presumably the leader said, bowing.  
  
"It is alright," Saraia said politely through gritted teeth, looking for a kerchief or a cloth to wrap her bleeding hand in and wipe off blood.  
  
"Saraia! Are you alright?" Hikari asked worriedly.  
  
"I will be fine. Attend to the others first. Daisuke has a nasty scalp wound you or Sora should look to."  
  
Dia was wiping off his broadsword of the brackish, foul black orc blood. "I hate orcs," he said flatly.  
  
"That's what you say all the time," Iori said, cleaning a shallow cut on his hand.  
  
A sharp flare of pink magic came from Hikari's and Daisuke's direction. Takeru nursed several long but shallow wounds around his body. One of the elves went to Daisuke.  
  
"The orcs often poison their swords, let me apply an antidote if needed," he told him.  
  
"Fine," Daisuke shrugged, nothing left of the wound, and drank down the cool liquid the elf handed him, handing it around to Takeru and Iori, as well as others who had sustained injuries.  
  
Saraia was having a quiet conference with the elves' leader when Hikari walked to her to check on her hand, and gaped in shock and surprise. For where the bleeding stumps of the elf's middle finger, index finger, and thumb used to be, there were whole, new fingers with nothing to mark what had happened to the elf except a bit of dried blood on her hand.  
  
"Saraia, what happened?" she stammered. "I swear that your fingers were."  
  
"Cut off?" Saraia smiled wryly, moving her fingers gingerly as if they were merely stiff. "Yes they were. But my magic centers on animals and I can take qualities of animals themselves. I borrowed the ability from certain reptiles that are able to regenerate tails and thus, my fingers are back. I've done this several times, therefore being rather experienced in it, but it is rather uncomfortable at times."  
  
"Not even the most powerful Healers can completely regenerate limbs," Hikari choked, turning pale.  
  
"I can only do this for my own body," Saraia said, examining her new fingers. "No need to be so afraid. I am sorry if it disturbs you." Her tone was comforting as she looked at Hikari with kind eyes. Then she turned to the male elf and resumed her conversation in Elven.  
  
Shaking her head, Hikari staggered and nearly fell if Takeru didn't catch her. "What's the matter?"  
  
"All of this killing and maiming that happened," she whispered. "How can some people take it so coolly? And why do people and creatures love bloodshed so much? And I am just like them."  
  
"Maybe they're used to it," Takeru shrugged. "But sometimes, to protect the ones you love, you have to do things you normally do not want to do." He then embraced her. "You are never like that, never at all. You are pure and innocent, always."  
  
"We of the Islands do not like killing," Sora said softly, prodding the dead body of an orc with her foot. "But we do it to defend our homeland."  
  
"Our home is not within the Islands themselves, they are within our people, and we will willingly die for one another," Miyako said, adjusting the bandage on Ken's arm.  
  
"If you need to throw up, do it behind the bushes over there. There's nothing wrong with it," Dia said in a gruff, but surprisingly gentle voice. "Even the greatest warriors have secret fears. So let me guess, you saw the elf lady regenerate her fingers?"  
  
Bile rose in Hikari's throat but she shook her head for the first question and nodded in agreement with the second, suppressing the feeling. "It's alright, I will be fine. I just." Then she fainted in Takeru's arms.  
  
"I wouldn't blame her, the first time I saw her do that, I threw up myself," Daisuke said, looking concerned for Hikari. "Then again, I saw her completely regenerate them in front of my eyes. Nasty, and I'll be blessed if I never see that happen again." He shuddered.  
  
"Your friends may come back with us to our city," the male elf told Saraia. "It is in a way of apology for not for coming sooner, my cousin."  
  
"It is alright, Garlath," she responded. "You did your best. We all need to get cleaned up and some need healing. I will contact Taichi through messenger bird, so he does not go on a rampage, raging for his sister."  
  
She whistled an odd cry and a brightly colored parrot swooped down from the trees. After exchanging a few words with it, Saraia scribbled down a message onto some parchment and gave it to the bird. With a slightly harsh cry, the red and blue bird flew off.  
  
~*~  
  
Hikari woke up to hear the soft, melodious singing of the elves drifting into her ears and Takeru's anxious face by her side.  
  
"Takeru?" she whispered.  
  
"Hikari, you're alright!" He embraced her.  
  
"Where are we?"  
  
"At the sanctuary of the elves, who offered us their hospitality most graciously..."  
  
"Then this is."  
  
"Yes it is."  
  
"I'm finally in Lythien," she whispered. "One of the great cities of the elves. Goddess, it is like a tale come to life."  
  
"Then I suppose I would be a tale." Saraia's voice came from the doorway, along with her gentle chuckle. "A feast is being held, would you mind going? It would be best if you change, your other clothes are being mended. My cousin is a most gracious elf."  
  
"You mean you're related to Garlath, the Lord here?" Takeru asked, eyes wide. "Then you're most definitely Elven nobility."  
  
She smiled, albeit a bit wryly. "He's my cousin, just a few centuries older than me." She was wearing a simple long dress that reached just above her ankles and had a high collared neck. The cuffs of trousers peeped under it. Garbed in dark forest green that accented her eyes and hair with bits of silver trimming, she looked dignified, also wearing an elaborate silver and emerald circlet around her brow. Her emerald necklace was out, shining and sparkling like gleaming, frozen pieces of forest and solid green fire. Her hair was immaculately and intricately styled into a high knot with two decorous thin strands of hair framing her face. "There are clothes in the closet, for both genders, do hurry, it is not polite to keep elves waiting." She then turned and walked away, shutting the door politely after her.  
  
Hikari looked at Takeru meaningfully, and he blushed, hurrying out the door hastily. When he returned in, Hikari was clad in a simple gown of a creamy white, arranging her hair into a braid. Takeru hastily dressed in a side room and emerged wearing a long sleeved leaf green velvet tunic and leggings of a slightly darker color.  
  
"You look like an elf yourself," she teased him gently. "All you need are the pointed ears."  
  
"Thank you for the compliment."  
  
He lightly kissed her on the cheek and offered her his arm. Giggling, she took it. A passing elf directed them to their destination, looking amused. They entered a gracefully designed hall that was meant to be cool in temperature and full of light. At a table, their friends were already waiting for them, dressed in clothes in the style of the elves except for Dia. The Elf lord was sitting at the head with Saraia by his left side and wearing more elaborate clothing than what he was wearing out in the forest. He was busy in conversation with Saraia, a braided gold circlet around his head and his long, dark hair neatly arranged.  
  
Looking up, he nodded graciously to Hikari and Takeru and directed them to seats at the table. "It is rare that mortal men visit our halls in such numbers, but we offer you our hospitality nonetheless." With a gesture, elves then gracefully set down plates of food in front of the guests.  
  
"I thank you for your hospitality, my brother and I knew of elves, but not of a whole city here," Hikari said politely.  
  
Garlath smiled, his eyes sparkling and wise. "We elves know how to avoid unwanted eyes and company when we wish. But perhaps we should have a word with your brother and his kingdom."  
  
"Cousin," Saraia chuckled, gently chiding. "It is often not wise to speak of diplomacy and politics while one's guests are dining."  
  
"True, so your father's and brother's influence have finally revealed themselves. No matter what, you are a princess, Saraia," he answered, gazing at her seriously yet fondly with his mysterious eyes.  
  
She looked slightly annoyed at him as the members of the group who did not know her true heritage froze and stared at her. "I try to keep that information as little spread as possible, cousin." Her voice was ever so slightly stiff but she turned to them with an apologetic smile. "Continue to eat, my friends. I am not of that much of importance in my family, not even being the Heir."  
  
"My apologies. I see you now bear the Gems of Fyora around your neck, as the princesses and queens of past generations have proudly borne them."  
  
She looked more mollified but sorrowful as she stroked the necklace. "Life is a hard and high price to pay for a necklace of lifeless gems, cousin."  
  
"Ah, you are right," he agreed then frowned. "Dark elves to the further north? That is unsettling news."  
  
She sighed, pushing away her plate, which was barely touched and got up. "Please, I need to be alone for a while, Garlath." She then strode out of the room, skirts billowing.  
  
Dia got up, but Garlath stopped him. "Please, when my cousin says something like that, it is best if you let her be."  
  
"Why is she so troubled?" Miyako asked quietly.  
  
"It is of her will to tell you," the elf lord said, his eyes with hidden sorrow. "Please, do not let that disturb you from your meal."  
  
They ate in silence for the rest of the meal, and then got up. Koushiro and Iori were eager to find a library, and graciously, the Elf lord directed them to the place. The rest, he guided a tour throughout the city and the forests all around. Dia, Ken, Miyako, and Daisuke were wandering around after the tour and Dia's sharp senses heard someone crying softly. In a tree, Saraia was up in one of the lower branches, her face buried in her hands.  
  
"Saraia?" Dia called up softly and gently. "What is the matter?"  
  
"Go away, it does not concern you," her muffled, half choked voice reached them.  
  
"Please, Saraia, we are your friends, we want to help you," Miyako said, in a surprisingly soft and compassionate voice.  
  
"Nobody can understand this," she called down, turning away.  
  
"Saraia, I've been with you through thick and thin, I'd think I've learned at least something about you during that time," Daisuke said.  
  
"Even if we are not sure about how you feel exactly, we will do our best to offer the best of advice or comfort," Ken called up to her. "But it is your decision whether or not to accept it."  
  
She slowly climbed down, her face streaked with tears. "I am a Kinslayer. Dark elves may have been of ill intent, but still, I killed them."  
  
"It wasn't your fault," Dia said quietly. "It was us or them, and unfortunately it had to be us, and it wasn't just you who killed them."  
  
"Their blood paints my hands," she whispered.  
  
Miyako put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Let me tell you a tale. A child was once born long ago to the Amazons and abandoned by her mother carelessly. After, a kind woman with no child of her own adopted her into her family. When her blood mother, who had borne daughters before her, rebelled against the Queen of the Amazons, the girl fought to protect her queen, for she was the one who had taken her in when her blood mother had left her to die. They fought ruthlessly, face to face. Finally, the daughter gave her mother the killing blow. As the mother died, she asked, 'How could you do this to your own family?' The daughter answered, 'Because you are not my mother.' What kind of a mother would abandon her child to survive when helpless? We of the Amazons, the relationship of flesh and blood do not matter in bonds between kin, bonds of soul and heart do. The Dark elves are related to you however distantly, but they are never your kin. Maybe of flesh, but never of soul or heart."  
  
Saraia gazed at Miyako with a new respect. "I thank you."  
  
The shaman smiled gently, taking off her spectacles. "When Queen Sora took me in and treated me like her own blood kin, she became my heart sister. You see, what you did was not the slaying of kin, your highness, it was something you had to do to protect those you considered dear family to your heart and soul."  
  
"Try not to get too depressed," Daisuke, said. "It just isn't like you, Saraia."  
  
"Do you feel better, Saraia?" Dia asked quietly.  
  
"Much. I think I am going to practice at the archery range for a while. Oh, and by the way, Miyako, Ken, there is a very nice waterfall and pool to visit at this time of night; it is not too far away. Why not visit?" She winked at them and walked off. Dia followed her and Daisuke walked off to the main building, yawning.  
  
Ken blushed as Miyako looked embarrassed. "Well, that was interesting," Miyako said. "I think we should visit it though."  
  
"A fine idea, my lady. After you." He bowed to her and she walked toward the sound of water.  
  
Very nice was an understatement for the area that they reached. Water cascaded down in a series of terraces before falling gracefully down in a long fall and fell into a pond that was relatively quiet other than that. Water lilies floated serenely at the edges of the shores. Silver moonlight shone on everything as soft sounds of Elven music and birdsong floated in the air.  
  
"Such a romantic place," Miyako sighed. "It is just like a dream."  
  
"It is almost, a tale as well, being with elves," Ken said and Miyako raised an eyebrow at him.  
  
"Were you just joking?"  
  
"Of course, my lady," he smiled gently at her. It was the first time she ever saw him smile, and it smoothed his face, made it seem more innocent.  
  
She laughed softly and pushed away a lock of his hair. "You should smile more, sir ambassador, it suits you."  
  
"Please, call me Ken." He gently grasped her hand in his own. For a warrior's hand, it was surprisingly soft and smooth with few calluses, fine boned and well defined he noticed. "And you should laugh more."  
  
Her heart leapt. "If you call me Miyako."  
  
"Indeed." His face was near hers, his breath scented with mint and sweet wine. She shivered involuntarily. Good Artemis, what was going on? She stepped back slightly.  
  
"Please, we should be outside."  
  
"Such a night for love. and lovers," he whispered and lightly kissed her. "I -I am so sorry."  
  
"For what?" she asked, dazed and surprised from the action.  
  
"I do not want to take advantage of you," he stammered and turned away. "And your culture."  
  
She gently turned him to face her. "It is alright, my vows to Artemis can be relinquished, as can any Amazon's."  
  
"Are you saying you love me?" he asked.  
  
"Yes, if you return the feelings," she answered and kissed him. Their kiss was long and sweet and they separated, his arms embracing her.  
  
"I do not think we are ready-" Ken started but she nodded and pressed a gentle hand on his lips.  
  
"It is not yet the time to share a bed. Someday it will come however, and I anticipate it to great extent." She smiled and lightly kissed him. Then she turned and walked away.  
  
Saraia and Dia watched from the trees above, looking highly amused. "You are a dastardly matchmaker," he mock accused her, pointing.  
  
"I am not," she responded in indignation, but her eyes were twinkling. "I only gave them a little 'push.'"  
  
"Ha, you elves like to meddle, don't you?"  
  
"Not as much as you," she retorted. "But that was sweet."  
  
"Don't get too sentimental on me please."  
  
"Oh give it a rest already."  
  
"Someone is a bit more vindictive and ambitious once they get over self pity."  
  
She made a face but turned sorrowful. "That event is not something to be taken lightly, Dia."  
  
"I understand." In a surprising gesture of kindness, he put his hand on her shoulder and she smiled.  
  
"What will I be without my friends, Dia?"  
  
The singing and laughter of the elves hung like a peaceful, soft blanket over the forest, but beyond the protections of magic and light, things best left unnamed scuttled about in darkness. 


	4. Intermezzo

I am so sorry I couldn't update. I'll be putting up the next few chapters within the next few weeks. Please, I've been really busy, but I'll do my best to upload new chapters. Meanwhile, enjoy!  
  
Intermezzo  
  
Jyou sat up in bed, sweating furiously from his nightmares. Taking deep breaths, he gazed around the room and sank back into the tangled pile of blankets and pillows. A small mage light formed, bobbing slightly as the round ball of magical fire illuminated the room dimly, banishing the looming shadows and darkness in the room, revealing only familiar mundane objects where horrifying nightmares had once lurked.  
  
"Your majesty?" Marie was in the doorway, pale and like a ghost in her white nightgown.  
  
"Please, you may come in, Marie and call me Jyou," he said gently and she stepped in carefully. "What is the matter?"  
  
"Just a dream, but it was troubling." Jyou got out of his bed, slipping on his dressing gown over his nightshirt, walking over to the fireplace. He stoked the dying embers in the fire with a murmured word and a flash of blue fire, at which flames leapt up merrily in the fireplace, crackling softly and giving off steady heat and light. "Do tell please, I am listening." He motioned for her to sit by his large armchair in another comfortable chair and she did so carefully.  
  
"I fear for my life here," she said quietly. "I am not who you think I am."  
  
"Really?" Jyou mildly raised an eyebrow.  
  
"I must leave this place."  
  
"Why, and who are you?" He gently grasped her hand.  
  
"The crown princess of Tachikawa." Her voice was a bare whisper.  
  
"What?" He looked at her in surprise. "My betrothed?"  
  
"The one and the same, I have to leave, there's no point in me staying here." She slowly got up, but he stopped her.  
  
"Please, it is dangerous out there, there's a solution to this; we'll find it together, Mimi."  
  
She looked at him with tear filled brown eyes and threw herself at him, embracing him. He comforted her, feeling something stir in his heart for her.  
  
~*~  
  
Saraia shook off the light trance that served elves as sleep and got out of bed. Pulling on a simple, comfortable tunic and leggings, she slipped out, bow and quiver in hand. Out in the archery targets, she fired round after round of arrows, face creased in concentration, but not for the target. Thoughts swarmed through her mind as she fired perfect shots despite the conglomeration of scattered thoughts and emotions in her mind. Schooling her mind like she had been taught many a year before; she organized them carefully, coaxing them into various parts of her memory, all while still shooting. It was like meditation for her; surprising as it seemed.  
  
"Something troubles you, my cousin?" Garlath was outside and he was watching her, dressed simply like she was.  
  
"Nothing, I have not been in the company of elves for many a year," she said softly, walking over and jerking out the arrows.  
  
"Ah, I understand." He put a light hand on her shoulder.  
  
"I have been dreaming, about the twelve chosen ones. I know who they are, and their path is frozen by destiny. As is mine. I will die to defend them."  
  
"How are you so sure? The future is a fluid thing, changing easily."  
  
"Not this one, my cousin, not this one. If they die, our world is in peril. They must unlock the dragon. And I will die so that they and many others may live. I will do that willingly." She gazed at him then turned away. "I am going to rest for now, I feel I will not be able to many times later."  
  
"No, come with me. I think you should drink some of the Water of Cronos and gaze into it."  
  
"That is dangerous, even for elves," she said, looking up sharply. "Many a strong and wise man had fallen into the depths of madness under the influence of the water. It is a double edged blade and unreliable in the long run."  
  
"Nonetheless, it may be useful. Come along." She followed him, bringing her bow and quiver strapped to her back. He led her to a graceful fountain; water trickling into a basin perched on a pedestal carved to resemble curled vines. "Drink, then look into the water, but do not touch it."  
  
He gave her a smooth silver cup and she held it to the falling water. Carefully, she drank it, the water unusually sweet and cool. But as it cascaded down her throat, it burned her stomach and left a bitter aftertaste dwelling in her mouth. She fell over the basin, using her still aware and fading reflexes to stop herself, holding onto the edges of the round bowl to stop from falling into the water. The cup clattered to the ground but the female elf was too drawn by the visions she saw inside of the bowl to notice.  
  
She saw bits of her past, scattered memories that flashed past quickly. Then she saw a group of people, numbering fourteen; heading toward a tall pyramid shaped building in midst of a desert, sun blazing down without mercy. Then it changed to twelve in a circle, a pentagram in the center of the circle. Multicolored lights flashed from each of the people in turn, writhing together and forming a magnificent dragon of light that plunged into the center of the circle and the pentagram. A pedestal formed with an orb on it, a large, perfectly spherical orb that was colored the most beautiful shade of blue in the world, the color of the night sky just after sunset or the vast oceans on the night of a full moon.  
  
Then it disappeared, going back. It showed the twelve being swallowed by darkness, one by one, crying out in pain. An immense serpent made of shadows crept over the land, jaws open and revealing teeth as long as lances and as sharp as swords. As it flew over, devouring light, Saraia saw horrible scenes. Forests being destroyed, beings of different races falling in battle with their blood staining the ground crimson and other hues, whole families and villages massacred. Their screams of pain and all sorts of horrible sounds reached her ears and she tried to draw away but she was too entranced. The serpent then devoured everything, the land, corpses, and those still living, as stifling darkness covered all.  
  
This is what happens if you fail, a voice whispered in her mind and she saw more visions.  
  
An attack of strange creatures surrounding a group of people and she herself was there, yelling something as she shot arrows, bringing down a creature every time. She then erected a domed shield of green and silver and the other thirteen ran, some hesitating. Dropping the shield when they were gone, she faced the creatures with a grim face and an aimed bow.  
  
"For the sake of Light!" she screamed and plunged into battle.  
  
Time seemed to slow in Saraia's eyes as she watched as she fought madly and when an arrow pierced her body, she fought on, ignoring the blood that spurted from the wound. Then a warrior in black came, swinging a broadsword and decimating the creatures as he guarded her back. He turned and the observer could see who it was. It was Dia. The army gone, she fell into his arms. Evidently it was too late for her and the real Saraia could hear the image's last words:  
  
"Save this world for me in the name of light and shadows, my friend."  
  
Then her eyes closed. Dia cradled the body for a few moments; tears trickling down his cheeks and the image disappeared, leaving Saraia looking at her own reflection in the water of the basin.  
  
"I will die," she said quietly, and walked away.  
  
If Saraia seemed ever so slightly melancholy when she was at breakfast, it was generally ignored. She walked out onto a balcony with a splendid view of the city.  
  
"The water is not accurate, cousin." Garlath walked up behind her. "There is a chance you will not."  
  
"I saw what would happen if we fail," she said flatly, then turned to face him. "All of my life, Garlath, I have been treated like a fragile object. Ever since Mother died, Father was focusing more on my brother and to his own life, retreating into the past when he was not training my brother. The reason I left was because I wanted to prove my worth, and not just as a princess. If I die, I would rather die fighting to defend my friends and this world, then live all alone and ignorant, in these halls without a purpose." Her eyes had a new light in them, knowledgeable and fierce.  
  
"Very well, my cousin, I will help you and your friends on the way," the Elf lord said quietly, blue eyes serious and sad.  
  
"I thank you," she said, clasping his hand and he bent over to press a light kiss on her forehead. "Do not forget your people, Saraia, and your family."  
  
"Never will I," she whispered. "Never, in death or in life I will never do it, not while I have my own mind and breathe freely."  
  
The singing of the elves grew sadder, bittersweet in its beauty upon her words. She gazed out, ready to embrace her fate with open arms.  
  
"Do send delegations to perhaps discuss matters, Princess," Garlath said, solemnly saluting the riders, freshly provisioned, despite the short ride to the capitol city, and given gifts.  
  
"I promise I will," Hikari said, smiling and adjusting the bracelets she had been given, silver and turquoise, created to look like carved blue lilies alternating with silver leaves.  
  
"We can never thank you enough," Koushiro said gratefully, a waterproof satchel of scrolls and books on his saddle.  
  
"It was partly for the sake of my cousin here," the elf lord chuckled softly, eyes twinkling as they gazed at Saraia, who gave him a slight smile.  
  
"We must leave quickly. I fear Taichi will not be happy hearing about orcs in the forests," Dia said somewhat gruffly. Though the elves were always courteous, they were somewhat distant with him.  
  
"Dia," Iori said slightly warningly and the shadow being gave the young man a look that clearly stated, "What are you criticizing me for? I am older than you, you know."  
  
"Thank you, cousin, and for some of the gifts you gave me." She patted a small leather and silver flask by her side, next to the one she always had.  
  
"Use it well, and 'may your heart return to the forest,'" he said, gazing at her. "The future is fluid and destiny is never solid and set in stone."  
  
"My heart is always in the forest, and may the stars ever shine bright for you and your people, Garlath." She then urged her horse on toward the capitol city.  
  
He gazed sadly at her. "As it may for you, my dear cousin Saraia. I send you my blessing, and my love for you."  
  
~*~  
  
Taichi was torn between pleasure in hearing about the elves and fury upon the information of orcs roaming.  
  
"This confirms it," the young king said grimly, smashing his hand down on the table in front of him, making the scrolls, papers, and other objects jump. "There is a shadow creeping up upon us, I sensed it, now this proves my suspicions."  
  
"What can we do about it?" Hikari asked softly.  
  
"We must gather the Twelve to form the Sapphire Orb and summon the Celestial Dragon," Saraia said in a clear, determined voice.  
  
"But the Sapphire Orb and the Twelve are legends!" Sora protested. "Even at Takenouchi they are known, but only as tales."  
  
"They are not tales, they exist. Ten of the Twelve are right here in this room," Saraia answered quietly, gazing at them all. She left the emerald necklace in full view, the magnificent gems glittering around her neck.  
  
"So Grandfather's prophecy is coming true," Taichi murmured, his fingertips pressed together. "Could you name them, Lady Saraia?"  
  
"Please call me Saraia. Yes, everyone in this room except for myself and Dia. You are all the ones who are capable of creating the Orb." She took a deep breath and sipped a glass of nectar carefully. "But there is not much time. All of you, I have a bottle of the Water of Cronos and am willing to allow you a drink and a view of it."  
  
"The Water of Cronos?" Koushiro whispered. "Incredible."  
  
"However, I advise you that the Water is often unreliable and can drive one to the verge of insanity. It is your choice if you wish to drink it." She gazed around.  
  
"I do not need to know my destiny," Hikari said quietly. "On the whole, it would be best if I did not drink it."  
  
Iori nodded, "I have no inclination to learn my fate."  
  
"Same here," Dia said. "The Goddess holds my destiny."  
  
"I need a basin and several cups," Saraia said and they were swiftly brought. "Clear the table, the aftereffects of the water vary and it would be safer if nothing valuable is upon the table or nearby." Once it was cleared, she set the bowl down and poured the water into the basin. For a small flask, it held much water for she poured until the basin was nearly full. "Who will go first?"  
  
"I will," Taichi said, stepping forward. She filled a cup with the water and handed it to him.  
  
"Drink the water and look into the basin." He did so, grimacing slightly at the taste and feel of the water, and looked into the still water in the basin. For a few moments, he turned pale, then angry, then utterly resigned. He staggered away from the bowl, Sora helping to support him.  
  
Next went Yamato. The blonde man looked at the water impassively, then turned away after a few minutes, a determined look in his eyes, though his face was somewhat pale.  
  
Koushiro, looking utterly delighted to experience this, looked in the basin after drinking the water, not even making a face at the sensation the water brought. He broke the spell of the water rather quickly, nodding to himself as he walked away.  
  
Daisuke gazed at the water, still grimacing because of the taste of the drink he had. He blinked and blushed red for a moment. A slight smile crossed his lips but he shrugged and let the next person see.  
  
Takeru peered at the water with some trepidation then looked excited for a moment, then calm. He backed away from the basin, a respect -or was it fear?- for it shining in his eyes.  
  
Sora looked into the water, impassive. She seemed drawn by it as she drew closer, until Saraia put a hand on her shoulder. The trance broken, the Amazon Queen blinked and walked aside.  
  
Miyako went next, then quickly turned away like Koushiro, looking troubled. She shook her head, and mused to herself for some time.  
  
Ken went last, turning pale as he gazed into the water before looking up and turning away. He buried his face in his hands and Miyako put her arm on his shoulder to comfort him.  
  
Saraia nodded and picked up the bowl in one hand. In some mysterious way, she tilted it and in a shining stream of silver, the water poured into the flask it had come from, not one drop spilling. She set down the bowl and stopped the flask.  
  
"So that is how powerful the Water of Cronos is?" Koushiro asked quietly.  
  
"Yes, it shows parts of the past and possibilities of the future. But do not take it very seriously, it is not completely accurate." Saraia gazed at them all impassively, hanging the flask at her belt. "Many have lost their sanity by the water."  
  
"I thank you for that gift," Taichi said, slightly shaken.  
  
"Nay, King Taichi, it is from my cousin, the Elf lord Garlath. He is the keeper of the water."  
  
"We must find the remaining two and go to the center of this continent," Sora said fiercely. "For that is where the temple in which the Orb may be formed in dwells."  
  
"I sense a great darkness from there," Hikari said softly. "But a greater power beneath it."  
  
"We must go, the fate of our world lies upon it," Ken said firmly, looking up.  
  
"And we must all stick together," Miyako added. "For it is twelve, and twelve only, that can form the Orb."  
  
"I will help you, with my weapons and my life," Saraia said, a light shining in her eyes.  
  
"As will I," Dia said, his arms crossed. "We may not be part of the Twelve, but we both will protect you all in any way we can."  
  
~*~  
  
Mimi shook her head, frowning. She had always been sensitive to changes in magic of any kind, not just plants, and strange feelings were tugging at her currently, yelling at her.  
  
"Mimi? What is the matter?" Jyou asked, looking at her.  
  
"We must go to Yagami," she whispered.  
  
"Why?" he frowned.  
  
"The Twelve are gathering to form the Sapphire Orb. I feel drawn to there for some reason, Jyou."  
  
Jyou let his magical senses roam and felt a tugging at his spirit towards the kingdom. "You're right, Mimi, so do I."  
  
"We should leave as soon as possible, the other Ten are grouped." She slowly got up. "How long of a journey is it to Yagami?"  
  
"Wait, we can shorten the trip greatly by creating a magical gate," he said. "I went to the capitol city a few times and I remember it enough to be able to create a gate from here to there."  
  
"That is good," she said, facing him, the sparkle in her eyes again. "Could you tell me about the city?"  
  
"It is very hot, but also very exotic, like something out of tales," he said, smiling. "I remember some parts. Tropical birds hanging in brass cages in windows, beautiful fountains, markets that sell all sorts of things. I could go on and on, Mimi."  
  
She laughed softly and his heart jumped in joy in hearing the sound. It was like a silver bell mixed with the gentle cascade of water. "I can already imagine it in my mind."  
  
"We will make preparations immediately," Jyou said, and lightly kissed her hand. "Your wish is but my command, princess." He nearly missed her blush as he bowed and strode out of the room.  
  
~*~  
  
"Very good!" Saraia approved, giving a rare compliment.  
  
"Really?" Takeru asked, wiping off some sweat.  
  
"Yes, for such a short period of time, you and the others have achieved much-" She then collapsed, clutching her head.  
  
"Saraia!" Dia ran over and picked her up. She was pale and apparently unconscious.  
  
"What the hell is up with her and those fainting spells?" Daisuke commented, looking over for a moment from staff fighting from Sora and getting a whack on the head for his pains.  
  
"I have no idea, Koushiro should have a look at her," Dia said.  
  
"Someone is getting attached," Daisuke teased and Sora whacked him over the head again.  
  
"Pay attention. If you're going to chat, do it when you're not practicing with me, boy," the Amazon said sternly. "Otherwise, pay attention to your lessons." For good measure, she smacked his shoulder firmly with the wooden stave and he couldn't help but yelp slightly in pain and surprise.  
  
Dia trudged out of the practice yards slowly, easily bearing the elf's weight in his strong arms. Once they were out, Saraia mumbled, "Alright, you can put me down now, I am fine."  
  
He nearly dropped her in surprise. "Saraia, what is going on?"  
  
"I've been growing very sensitive to the activities of the Twelve since my experience with the Water of Cronos."  
  
"Do you know why?" he asked and she nodded.  
  
"Ask Koushiro or Iori, they're doing research about it. I had to force them to eat and drink as well as get some exercise. They would just stay in there forever if they could."  
  
He chuckled softly but said firmly, "I will, once you get some rest."  
  
"I am perfectly fine, Dia," she protested but he wouldn't listen as he trudged up to the main building of the palace.  
  
~*~  
  
Koushiro ran a hand through his wild red hair, sighing. "I can't make heads or tails of this."  
  
"An inspiration may come," Iori suggested quietly, flipping through volumes. Koushiro gazed at him fondly, already growing attached to the younger man in a matter of days.  
  
"And the heavens may crash down on us, " the red haired mage couldn't help but comment dryly. "Doggerel I call this."  
  
"It sounds fascinating to me," Iori said innocently, green eyes sparkling.  
  
"You try listening to it," Koushiro answered in a wry tone and cleared his throat to recite his findings.  
  
"For many nights the Dragon sleeps, without any hope of dawn, Peacefully waiting, ever seeking, a single move of life's pawn, Destiny is but a game, in which we all are but the pieces Placed in order and directed wherever the player pleases  
  
"For many a year the Orb will be hid, gone from all but the very wise, Until all tales, true or false, are soon dismissed as lies. But the Orb exists and great power it keeps, Deep within it's dark blue deeps.  
  
"Alas, despite its beauty, the Sapphire Orb holds much sorrow For it bears the guilt of many sins, of old and those of morrow Power it holds, of great magic, to those who use it well Yet dark evil have come to have it as many tales tell.  
  
"Twelve are chosen to create the long forgotten Orb, With great power and great virtue have each member sworn. The Dragon chooses who they are, each one unique and good, And the stars control their destiny, as the Twelve were born.  
  
"The first is one of fire, a warrior bound in blood and sword, He rules his kingdom with an iron hand, yet softened by wise word The one of fire loves his people, a kind man yet strong lord He will lead the Twelve, but not alone, for they all must fight together  
  
"The next is one of female kind, also ruling queen, Who guides her female warriors with her gentle soul and wise mind She loves her people with her heart and thus she is one of love Yet beware her wrath, for she is fierce when any hurt her kind  
  
"Coming next is one with ice, in both magic and in eye With hair of gold and tall stature, he is truly one to dread Yet despite his ice-cold nature, he is kind and true to friend But beware all foes, when he is round; watch the ground on which you tread  
  
"By their side is one of water, great mage and ruler he is Though quiet and perhaps timid, strong reliability is within His voice is quiet but grave, his eyes of solemn justice He guards those he loves closely, all those of friend and kin  
  
"One of lightning comes along, of scarlet tresses and jet orbs Also mage and with great wisdom this one lives on Older in spirit than body, he uses knowledge well, Also using it to help the world before his time is gone  
  
"The one of plants is the next, gentle and pure soul is she, She loves her friends and her kingdom, never taking life, Though despite her gentle soul, she is indeed of bright spirit To save her friends she is quite ready to face hard and bloody strife  
  
"Then comes one of steel, cheery and hot-tempered, Though at times with lack of logic and of empathy, He holds his friends close to him and forever remains true, Never in his heart lacking the gift of sympathy.  
  
"The wise one of mind magic is next in line, emerald are his eyes, He holds onto friends close at heart and treats them very well, Though he is fierce in battle, he prefers knowledge than blade Where this path will take him, none but fate will tell.  
  
"One of the air and wind joins their number, with tresses of heather hue She guides her queen, the one of love, with wise words and sound advice Though at first of great temper, she is also kind and loving She is truly worthy of her magic and bright winged hawk as her device  
  
"Next comes one of shadows, quiet and of few words He is kind despite his magic, his friends, close and small in number, Shadow mage he may be but compassion rules his heart He never loves the darkness, his path never torn or left to plunder  
  
"Last are two, the treasured pieces They are not two but more like two made one, As they must fight together One of light, one of hope, together, their power like the sun  
  
"Only when the Twelve join should you hope of forming the Orb The Dragon awaits, Chosen Ones, do not stop and tarry Hidden dangers and darkness await you all, but keep together always or you will surely fall Once your task is finished there is a chance for time merry  
  
"Keep strong as you go where the sun sets, the shadows over looming Beware of that is not what it seems, the wolves in sheep's clothing Stay to the path you are given, no matter what you see within a moment's assuming Never split apart, for twelve and twelve only can summon the Dragon and Orb.  
  
"To guide them on their way, fate sends ones to protect and guide. One is of the forests, an elf woman of much wisdom, She will give her life gladly to see the duty done, although she is on the side And perhaps she will, for she will never see forests the same way once the journey is through.  
  
"Next is one who is ruled by a Goddess, a being who stays to shadows He is a skilled warrior, hardened and coldly just. Though his hard exterior is aloof and cold, he is gentle and kind inside, A strong bond with his fellow warriors is to him always a must  
  
"More will come, in subtler ways. To defeat the growing darkness, all races will join A single goal is all is needed to join all as one The darkness cannot defeat such an alliance as one of common coin  
  
"So to whom who reads these words, heed them well and with reason Let not your heart be swayed by lies and be urged into treason."  
  
Koushiro stopped reading and drank down a goblet of wine to smooth his throat. "So there you have it."  
  
"Very good recitation," Dia commented from the doorway, coming in.  
  
"Thank you," the mage bowed in his direction. "What brings you here?"  
  
"Saraia had another one of those fainting attacks," he said quietly and Iori looked concerned.  
  
"Is she alright?" he asked.  
  
"Yes, I am getting worried for her though, why are these attacks happening?"  
  
"Let me see," Koushiro ruffled through a pile of old notes. "Elves. the Water of Cronos. Here it is. The Water of Cronos apparently has strange effects on elves. They are able to withstand its effects far better than humans but the water leaves its mark on them. She is very sensitive to the movements of the Twelve most likely."  
  
"That's what I feared," the shadow being said, pouring himself a glass of wine.  
  
"She could be the elf in this poem." Iori started to say, but realized his words and turned slightly ashen.  
  
"Let me see that." Dia picked it up and read over it. "Bloody hell! No, it can't be possible."  
  
"The poem says that she is willing to die and it is probable that it will happen, not inevitable," Koushiro pointed out.  
  
"But what is that line about her not seeing the forest the same way again after the journey?" Iori mused.  
  
"It could mean a number of things. Some kind of riddle most likely," Koushiro said, sighing.  
  
"Not while I remain here on this earth will I allow her to die," Dia said and whirled around, swiftly striding out of the room.  
  
Iori gazed after him. "I never saw him this fierce to protect Saraia."  
  
"It's not normal?" the other mage asked, raising an eyebrow and sipping some more wine.  
  
"Not at all, in fact, he and Saraia had the most aloof and strictly professional relationship of our group before this happened. I wonder if she will understand."  
  
"I think so, she's an intelligent being; after all she is an elf."  
  
"Is it infatuation or real love?" Iori then turned to shuffling through his books again, leaving the question unanswered.  
  
~*~  
  
Dia sat on the rooftop that night, musing to himself, his unsheathed broadsword laid across his knees.  
  
"Does something trouble you, my son?" He felt the melodious voice behind him rather than hearing it, deep within his soul. Slowly he turned around to face his Goddess, the one who had given him life and could easily take it away.  
  
"My Mother," he murmured, getting up and bowing respectfully to her.  
  
The Goddess was a tall woman of middle age, with unearthly beauty and a powerful, comforting aura. She was clad in red so dark it was nearly black, her black hair tied back in a braid. Her skin was a creamy ivory standing out on her raven locks. The deity carried a scimitar on her back, a slim, true blade. Her eyes marked her especially. They were bright purple, like fine amethysts, but changed colors, in hues from the earth, the sky, and the ocean.  
  
"You feel the need to return to me again?" she asked gently, song ringing in her voice.  
  
"No, my mother. You are the one who controls my life, having given it to me long before."  
  
She laughed, creating no sound vocally but the expression of amusement singing in Dia's ears. "Yet I only ask you this. Higher powers than I have chosen you to help the Twelve. Would you help them?"  
  
"With my life and my sword," he whispered.  
  
"If but all warriors had your duty and compassion, my son. And I sense you have a fondness for the elf?"  
  
He nodded, not flushing. "She brings light into my life, my mother. I love her, but I feel like she will not return my love in amorous ways, so I am content to love her as a sibling and a soul sister."  
  
"In so many ways are the both of you alike yet different. I see a difficult future for her, but watch her carefully, Fate has a sharp turn for her in her life."  
  
"I will, thank you, my mother." He lightly kissed her hand. His creator fondly ran a hand through his long raven and silver locks, patted his shoulder gently, and disappeared from his vision. He softly sang to himself as he sat on the rooftop, a ballad of history that was passed down from those who served Her.  
  
"You sing very well, Dia," a quiet voice said behind him. He turned to see Saraia.  
  
"Greetings, Saraia," he said mildly.  
  
"As to you." She sat down beside him, blue green hair neatly braided. "Dia, this may sound personal, but do you love me? I mean as in more than a friend?"  
  
"I do," he said without regret.  
  
"I am sorry, Dia, but I am not ready for love yet, I do not feel like I have met the right one." She looked regretful and sorrowful.  
  
He smiled without bitterness. "I love you like a sister, because in a way, you are my soul sister. We are so opposite yet we can be alike. I can deal with that, it's probably best for me anyways. You will find the true one for you some day."  
  
"Oh." She was quiet as she looked at the stars. He put a light arm around her shoulders.  
  
"Remember that I care for you, Saraia. You truly are a princess."  
  
"If only more were like you, Dia," she said.  
  
He laughed dryly. "If there were more like me, the world would be in trouble, that's for sure."  
  
She lightly kissed him on the cheek. "But it is a good thing there is only one like you, dark brother."  
  
"There is no one like you, light sister," he answered, affection in his eyes as he stroked her cheek, nothing remotely sexual about it. They watched the stars in silence, a comfortable, loving silence however.  
  
~*~  
  
"She is perfectly fine, uncle," Garlath said evenly, gazing at the older elf in front of him. "You of all people should know that."  
  
"Why did you not keep her here, where she will be safe?" King Thienol demanded angrily. "I will not allow my daughter to go off."  
  
"Father, she is a perfectly competent elf," his son, Garion, said quietly. "And only now you start being concerned for her? It is not as though you have been concerned about her or her actions over the last centuries." Remorse was in his voice as he gazed at his father.  
  
"She is on a quest to protect mortals?" the king demanded. "With her life?"  
  
"That is what the Water of Cronos reveals, uncle," the elf lord responded calmly. "It is her destiny."  
  
"Is it possible she will die?" Garion asked, looking slightly sorrowful. Though he was older, his sister had taken the role of the mother and comforter in their family before she went off to see the world a few centuries ago, only stopping by home rarely for very brief periods of time.  
  
"The Water is never truly reliable," Garlath said, gazing at his cousin with cool blue eyes.  
  
"But what of my daughter, Garlath?" Thienol growled.  
  
"She is in the best of hands and going upon the path of her destiny, uncle. You cannot divert her fate." Both elves looked each other in the eye, green meeting blue.  
  
"Can I help my sister in any way?" Garion asked quietly.  
  
"Unfortunately no, she is forging her own path." Garlath gazed off into the distance, musing to himself.  
  
~*~  
  
"Aim, careful now, the target is in your mind now, not just in your eyes. Stretch the string, slowly, and release!" Under Saraia's watchful eye, the arrow flew from the bow and hit the target. "Excellent work, Hikari. Tell me, have you had experience in archery?"  
  
"Some," the young woman said honestly. "But not much. Only enough to defend myself."  
  
"You have talent, princess," Saraia said kindly and frowned, freezing suddenly.  
  
"What is happening?" Hikari asked worriedly.  
  
"The last of the Twelve are here," Saraia whispered, eyes lighting up.  
  
~*~  
  
Mimi gazed about. It was just how Jyou had described to her, only even more entrancing. Jyou lightly jerked on her hand and offered her a smile. He was a slightly odd sight in his burnoose, the hood and a cape covering his simple mage robes bearing no sign of his true rank. On his insistence, Mimi was wearing a cloak as well, covering her simple dress of rose pink, and a veil of light tan cloth to cover the bottom half of her face.  
  
"Excuse me, but could you follow me, sir, miss?" a soft voice said as a figure clad in nondescript brown clothing, a hood covering their face, came up.  
  
Jyou looked apprehensive as Mimi bit her lip from below the veil. "Why?"  
  
"Get away," a sharp voice said and the figure disappeared. "Do be careful, the city does have its share of thieves and muggers." A young woman walked toward them, unveiled but wearing a hood. Her green eyes, just like emeralds, gazed at them. "Your majesty, your highness."  
  
"What?" Jyou demanded harshly. "How did you know?"  
  
"For a mage, you leave many unguarded secrets in your mind," the woman said with a grave wink at them. "King Taichi has been expecting you. I am a mere escort and I will explain more at the palace. Do you trust me?"  
  
"How can we?" Mimi asked softly and the woman smiled.  
  
"Because he gave me his seal himself." She opened her hand, revealing a ruby ring set in gold. The seal and standard of Yagami was carved on the gem. "Do you trust me?"  
  
"Yes," Jyou nodded. He felt somehow he could trust her immediately. Despite her young appearance (she couldn't have been older than twenty or so at the very least), she had an air of experience and wisdom.  
  
"Follow me please." She led them through a maze of streets before coming to a small gate. "Forgive this but it is safer this way." Finally she led them to a comfortable and elegant pavilion in a private garden. Eleven others were dwelling in it and one called out to her cheerfully.  
  
"So now you're back, Saraia?"  
  
"You bet," she called back, smiling, and lightening her serious face. "I hope you didn't eat all the food, Daisuke, you glutton."  
  
"I did not!" the boy said indignantly as the rest laughed. The woman had them go into the pavilion, making sure they had sat down before resting on a cushion herself.  
  
"Thank you for the ring loan," she said, handing the ruby seal ring to Taichi with no regret.  
  
"Not a problem, would you mind introducing us?" the monarch asked, eyes sparkling.  
  
"Of course," the woman said, dropping her hood. Now Jyou and Mimi could see that she had long hair of blue green, more blue than green now in the light and her pointed ears stuck out prominently.  
  
"An elf?" Jyou stammered, turning pale.  
  
"Saraia, at your service," she said, bowing to him from her seat. "King Taichi, this is King Jyou of Kido and Princess Mimi of Tachikawa."  
  
"I am pleased to make your acquaintances," the brunette smiled. "Saraia told us to expect you."  
  
"How?" Jyou asked, gaining control.  
  
Hikari, with a kind smile to Mimi, poured the girl a cup of cool juice. "Here, the heat can be often unbearable if you're not used to it."  
  
"Thank you," Mimi said, unfastening her veil to drink.  
  
Hikari gazed at her. "Are you alright?"  
  
"Yes, why?" She set down the cup.  
  
"Well- never mind that please, Princess." She smiled.  
  
"You explain Koushiro, I explained to the rest of you," Saraia said, turning to the red haired man.  
  
In simple terms and short words, for him anyway, the mage explained the story to Jyou and Mimi, the rest of them listening in partially, while adding in their own comments.  
  
"So we must do this?" Jyou asked carefully.  
  
"Do you want this world to be destroyed?" Daisuke said somewhat tartly. Saraia lightly cuffed him.  
  
"I swear, a twelve year old has more manners than you," she sighed. "As well as a great deal more in the ways of common sense."  
  
"Damn elf," he muttered and ducked as she shot him a frosty look.  
  
"Do not take that tone with me, Motomiya Daisuke. I happen to be much older than you." She cuffed him again.  
  
"I offer you both rooms in the palace," Taichi said graciously. "As for now, I think both of you should rest. The evening meal will be served at sunset, a private affair for tonight."  
  
"I thank you." Both monarchs gripped each other's hands, both pairs of eyes meeting in a mutual understanding between them.  
  
~*~  
  
Evening came and from the gardens the sweet scent of evening jasmine rose, wonderfully soothing and surrounding the palace in a perfumed cloud.  
  
The meal was set out in an open-air room, cushions everywhere for seats. Since it still was warm, cool, refreshing food was set out for them to dine on. When the meal started, Taichi was soon immersed in a conversation with Yamato and Daisuke, obviously absorbed in the topic. Iori, Jyou, and Koushiro were debating magical theory and the prophecy. Mimi was chatting with Sora politely, despite the vast differences between the two. Miyako and Ken were quietly discussing their homelands as well as Hikari and Takeru. Saraia talked with Dia, only toying with her food.  
  
"Eat," he urged her. "You'll need your strength sooner or later."  
  
"I do not feel hungry," the elf said quietly.  
  
"What is wrong with you?" The shadow being frowned at her, his voice concerned.  
  
"Nothing." Her tone, slightly forced, brooked no argument.  
  
"It's the prophecy, isn't it?" he asked shrewdly.  
  
"Sort of. It is just that I promised my older brother that I would always say good-bye to him, as well as the fact that I loved him, before I did anything too drastic. I feel like I am breaking a vow. I cannot leave to say farewell to him, I pledged myself to this quest and I will not turn back."  
  
"Oh, you love your brother very much?"  
  
"Like life itself. I took care of him and he took care of me back." She smiled slightly, reminiscing.  
  
"I think that he would want you to eat though, or else our enemies would not need to ambush you. All they would have to do is wait until you wither away and get carried off by a wind."  
  
Saraia playfully hit him. "Oh alright, please. You love to layer on guilt, do you not?"  
  
~*~  
  
"Binding tendrils!" Out of the ground, tough, thin green vines entwined around Yamato's legs.  
  
"Ice wind!" He froze them then shattered his bonds.  
  
"Alright, you expended your magical resources," Koushiro said. "It is best not to drain your magic very quickly."  
  
"Oh..." Mimi swayed on her feet, apparently dizzy. Jyou ran over and caught her as she fell.  
  
"How many lovebirds do we have anyways?" Daisuke mumbled nearby, toying with a steel blade he had summoned.  
  
"Daisuke, mind your manners," Iori admonished.  
  
The former mercenary rolled his eyes and threw his blade. It landed, quivering, into the wooden leg of a table nearby. "You know that I don't have any."  
  
"How about some decency?" Dia drawled. "O, insubordinate one."  
  
"Insubordination is my middle name," Daisuke smirked, summoning a bit of steel and shaping it with his bare hands into the form of a knife.  
  
"As well as glutton, fool, blockhead, and all around hothead," Dia said dryly, sharpening his blade. "As well as star eyed admirer of every pretty thing that passes by with skirts and a bosom."  
  
The others laughed as Daisuke blushed furiously. "Dia!"  
  
"I'm only telling the truth," the man said innocently. Rolling his eyes, Daisuke hurled an orange at Dia, who caught it and casually started to peel it.  
  
~*~  
  
"Well, now our journey starts," Daisuke said, gazing back at the fading sight of the capital city. He sat easily on his blood bay, reins in one hand.  
  
"Nice to know, oh master of the obvious," Dia grunted, urging his black mare forward. It was a frightfully intelligent horse, as well as death on four, very hard iron shod hooves with wicked teeth. But with Dia on her back the obvious warhorse acted like a calm and innocent palfrey. The mare only tolerated him or Saraia, anyone else, well... it would be safe to say that they never looked at warhorses the same way again.  
  
"Be nice, Dia," Saraia scolded, urging her own white gelding forward, the only horse she would ride if she had a choice, a faithful animal that stuck by her constantly.  
  
"You know that it is useless to talk to him when he is sardonic," Iori told her, riding on a placid bay.  
  
"We know that too well," Taichi rolled his eyes as his chestnut stallion trotted. He had left his vizier in charge, a young, capable man named Takato, while he was away.  
  
"It appears many of us have a strong dependency on irony," Koushiro said dryly, guiding a gray gelding.  
  
"You can say that again," Ken muttered, perched easily on a blue roan mare.  
  
"Well, if we're going to work together, irony will have to be forgotten, if they insult another of our group," Sora said briskly, shifting in her seat upon strawberry roan.  
  
"Well, Daisuke puts himself up as a target. I suppose I should pity the poor boy, but he sets himself up, unknowingly I am not sure," Miyako retorted, her hands on the reins of a gray.  
  
"Do you have to be so cynical?" Hikari asked, her spirited white mare dancing a little nervously.  
  
"Cynicism is an easy path to turn to after some time in the right conditions," Yamato remarked wryly, his battlesteed Hellspawn calmly walking at an easy pace.  
  
"Yes, and you are a wonderful example to look up to, brother," Takeru answered sarcastically, his own warhorse Firesoul going along.  
  
"Where is this conversation going?" Mimi wanted to know, fussing over her skirts on her chestnut mare.  
  
"I don't think I want to know," Jyou responded, patting the neck of his gray gelding.  
  
On they went, jibing and chattering amicably, on their way to their goal. 


	5. Overture

Overture  
  
  
  
"In you go!" There was a loud splash and a string of cursing.  
  
"Shit! This water's /cold/!"  
  
"Watch your mouth Daisuke, there are ladies about."  
  
"You don't qualify as a lady, Saraia. This is cold!"  
  
"Wash carefully now," Taichi hooted.  
  
"Very funny. How about you come in here?"  
  
"I would rather not, thanks," the young man grinned wickedly.  
  
"I can help you get in," Miyako said innocently, raising him up in the air with her magic.  
  
"Hey, hey, hey! Put me down, woman!"  
  
"As you wish."  
  
"Oof!" Taichi landed rather ungracefully on his bottom upon the ground.  
  
Everyone laughed uproariously. They were sheltering in an oasis, a forest in the distance, but not blocking the shadow that loomed, rising high above in the sky.  
  
After some persuasion, Miyako pulled Daisuke out with her magic, wringing out the water from him. "Accidentally" she cuffed him while doing so. When accused, she said innocently, "Hit him? Now why would I want to do that?"  
  
"Turn in everyone, at our pace we will reach the temple in three days," Saraia said. "I will take first watch, then Dia, then he gets to choose who will do the next one." She smiled as Dia grinned wolfishly at Daisuke, who groaned, diving into his bedroll.  
  
"What are you thinking about?" Dia asked as he watched Saraia poke at the fire.  
  
"Just idle thoughts," she answered. "And you?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"It is only fair," she told him, tucking back her hair behind a pointed ear.  
  
"Oh alright." The shadow being thought for a moment, chin between his index finger and thumb. "I happened to be thinking of a proverb that I heard of."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"'When you desire excitement, it will come at the most ill opportune time.'"  
  
The elf snorted with laughter. "You have that right." She toyed with her gauntlet idly, the moonstone glimmering softly. Then with a soft sigh, she undid her hair, letting it fall in a cascade of blue green.  
  
"Saraia, is it alright if I touch your hair?"  
  
Slightly surprised, she looked toward him. "Why?"  
  
"Just because. If I die, I'd like to remember that I was with a beautiful woman before that."  
  
She laughed softly. "Go right ahead then."  
  
He went over to her and sat behind her, running his calloused, strong hands through the silk, hands that seemed to hold only weapons for killing, rather than gently combing through those strands. She sighed as he picked up a comb from beside her and gently ran it through her hair.  
  
He whispered into her ear, "A nice moment, no?"  
  
She shook her head. "If you are planning to rape me, think again."  
  
"Not likely. I saw what you did to that rapist a few years ago. No need to take any vows of chastity, after you were finished, he didn't have anything to be unchaste with." He lightly kissed her ear, hearing a sharp breath.  
  
"You know that the ears are one of the most sensitive parts of an elf's body, do you not?" she whispered.  
  
"Yes," he answered with a wicked grin. "Yes I did."  
  
"Bastard."  
  
"Save the compliments for later kindly."  
  
~*~  
  
"I like the scent of forest but this is just too much!" Jyou complained.  
  
They had been traveling through forest area for two days, the end of their journey soon coming. The smells of the forest clung to them as they traveled and it was tiring for most of the group.  
  
Saraia suddenly froze, sniffing the air. "Something is not right," she whispered hoarsely. Weapons were drawn immediately at those words.  
  
"Diamond pattern," Dia barked. "Mages in the center, warriors outside."  
  
She smiled wryly. "Oh damn." She turned her horse to face behind them, trotting toward there. "The rest of you, get out of here. I just received a challenge."  
  
"No, damn you, elf, get back here," Dia shouted. He knew what a challenge meant only too well.  
  
"Shut up Dia," she told him flatly. "I have to answer it, you know the rules I am bound to. All of you; get out of here, now. Dia, you can protect them without me."  
  
He brought his horse next to hers, grasping her arm tightly. "I'm not leaving you here. You'll be eaten alive if there's more than you can handle!"  
  
"Better me than everyone else," she snarled, wrenching her arm free. "Iori, catch." She hurled her moonstone set gauntlet at him. "Keep this for me, will you?" He caught it numbly. "Ride fast. They are coming but not quickly. I will hold them off as much as I can." 'The vision in the water,' she recalled, fear washing over her, but she shook her head inwardly. 'I did not receive a challenge in that vision. But if I die, I will do so with honor.'  
  
"I am not going to leave you here, rules or not," Dia snarled at her.  
  
"Neither am I!" Daisuke shouted. "We went through everything as a group, and we will go down as a group."  
  
"Fools!" she screamed at them. "Dia, you need to stay with them, your Goddess decrees that this is not your battle to fight. Daisuke, you are one of the Twelve, I am supposed to protect you as well as the others." Her eyes were grim, chips of ice boring into them. "Now leave, before I put a compulsion on all of you."  
  
Dia suddenly kissed her. "You stubborn bitch," he whispered into her ear. "Noble though. Goddess guide your way, princess."  
  
"Now go," she told him sternly. With reluctant looks, everyone galloped off.  
  
"How noble of you, Lady elf," the velvet, cold voice said from behind her. "Sending off your friends to take on the enemy yourself."  
  
"Good of you to comment," she said softly, dismounting. "Morseth."  
  
The young man standing there smiled at her. Despite the warm heat of the forest, he was clad in black. And if there was one thing Saraia had to compliment of the dark mage, it was his taste in clothing. Dark silk fitted his lean, smooth form perfectly as silver jewelry glittered and gleamed on his brow, wrists and neck, set with black opals and dark moonstones, all perfectly setting off his pale skin, black hair, and gleaming, jewel like eyes.  
  
"Saraia, you are as beautiful as I saw you last."  
  
"I should have killed you when I had the chance," she told him calmly. "But then again, you are too cowardly of death, no? You have to constantly come back. Oh well." She mock sighed. "I guess I will have to do the honors then." The drawn bowstring sang as she slid an arrow in.  
  
Different creatures soon surrounded the area in which they stood; each one with dark scales, pelts, or feathers. Some were lean, viper like hounds, covered in scales and with fangs and claws as long as the elf's fingers. Some were like snakes with legs, with elaborate frills and twisted parodies of wings. There were so many others, and they were far too gruesome to describe. The elf estimated less than a score of them were surrounding.  
  
"The same coward as you were when I first got to know you," Saraia sneered.  
  
"Lady elf, I have a proposition for you," Morseth said, petting one of the hounds, the scene like a gruesome travesty of a hunter stroking one of his prize animals. "I can make you my consort, as soon as I overthrow my master, we will be the rulers of this world and many others. All peoples will bow down to you as their Empress, paying treasures to lay crowns at your feet. All if you join me." His eyes, amber and cat like, glinted at her like gems as he gracefully pushed back a strand of his dark hair.  
  
"How about you take that offer and shove it up the arse of that hell beast you have there?" Saraia said sweetly. Then she turned grim. "I am fine where I am, thank you very much."  
  
"Face me then, bitch, and let us see how far you have mastered your magic," he said, eyes looking into hers, trying to intimidate her.  
  
She laughed, a harsh sound like ice breaking upon a marble floor. "Let us see how much you have developed your dodging skills." She then released the arrow, the deadly shaft going to his heart. He smirked, outstretching a hand and it shattered on impact of an invisible shield.  
  
"There is no shadow being to watch your back now," he purred.  
  
"He has better things to do than to watch a sniveling coward," Saraia snarled back, setting down her weapons.  
  
She concentrated, palms together in front of her. Then she slowly drew them apart and a sword of light formed in her right hand, shining. In satisfaction, she watched as the beasts around recoiled. This was an unusual talent, for one was only able to use spells concerning the magic Gifted to them, but she was able to use some other spells as well not concerning animals.  
  
"You don't know what you are getting into, slut," Morseth told her, a sword of his own, but of dark energy, forming in his hand.  
  
"Oh, I know very well what I am getting into, Morseth," she whispered. "I know perfectly well. But the question is, do you?"  
  
~*~  
  
"I hate this," Dia growled angrily, as they rode away.  
  
"We had no choice," Iori told him softly. "We had to respect her wishes."  
  
"That doesn't mean I have to like them. Everyone, settle here, I'm going back." He turned his mount around.  
  
"Wait! You can't! You promised her," Hikari told him.  
  
"Promises can be broken if they will save a life," Dia said flatly. "This is for her own good. She's too stubborn to realize that. I knew we should have destroyed him when we had the chance."  
  
"Morseth?" Daisuke choked. "That bastard?"  
  
"Who would that be?" Koushiro asked.  
  
"Long story, I can't tell you now. I will be back. If you must, camp here for the night." Without another word, Dia galloped off. 'I'm coming, Saraia, just hold on.'  
  
~*~  
  
"So, is my proposition starting to warm to you?" the dark mage asked, breathing hard.  
  
"Let me think about it one last time. No," Saraia said sarcastically, her sword clanging down upon his. In time she saw a number of the creatures move toward her. In a swift move, she swung her blade and quite neatly cut off their heads in that blow. "They stay out of this, Morseth."  
  
She barely managed to blow an incoming slash from the dark mage. "You could have been great you know," he told her, eyes gleaming. "You could have been a queen of darkness."  
  
"Thank you but I would rather be a warrior of the light!" She shoved him off of her.  
  
He scored cuts all over her body, the blood loss dizzying her. But she was pleased to see that he seemed more tired than her, and suffered more serious wounds than she. Suddenly she slipped in her own blood and fell. He scored on her left shoulder, his slim, rapier like blade running through it. She shrieked with pain but managed to stay conscious and at full guard.  
  
He panted, pulling it out. "I will be patient with you. Can you not see sense? I am offering what many would die for. You are a fool, Saraia, a noble fool."  
  
She hacked up blood, spitting it out. "Noble I may be but a fool, never." She managed to get up. "Fight, damn you!"  
  
"The battle is just about to end," he whispered, extending his hand to her. "Join me, and you will have everything you desire."  
  
"I only desire your ashes sown with salt!" She slashed at his cheek, a long cut running down his face. Clutching his face, he screamed as the light burned him.  
  
Murder plainly in his eyes, he charged at her and slashed her across the eyes, once, twice, three times. Red filled her vision as excruciating pain wracked Saraia's body. Using her instincts, she thrust and felt warm blood on her hands, blood that was most definitely not her own. A dull thud echoed from in front of her and Saraia knew she had no time to waste. Taking the body of her spirit form, a magnificent owl with wings of fire, she flew through the planes of reality, chasing the dark, evil spirit of the dark mage. It escaped into dark place of shelves, with odd, twisted curiosities settled on them. Finally it settled into a warped, cracked crystal of pure black.  
  
Shrieking in victory, the Saraia owl grasped the crystal in talons of light, crushing it into thousands of tiny shards and scattering them everywhere, so that they would never come back together again. She then fled to her body and felt herself fall down and something strong catch her.  
  
~*~  
  
It was nearly nightfall when Dia arrived, covered in blood of different colors, leading a white horse, and holding something in front of him that was so bloodstained, battered, and filthy it was nearly impossible to see who or what it was.  
  
"Dia!" Daisuke and Iori ran up to the black mare.  
  
"Gethel," Dia told the mare tiredly. "Calm."  
  
"Did you find her?"  
  
"What happened to you?"  
  
"Will she be alright?"  
  
"Where is she?"  
  
"Enough!" the shadow being growled, holding the limp thing in his arms with gentle tenderness as he dismounted. "I'll explain. Mimi, Miyako, Koushiro, and Jyou, gather all the healing plants you can find. Daisuke, build up the fire and make a pallet by it. Iori and Sora, get water, a lot of it. Hikari, I hope you have enough magic." The body moaned and it was Saraia, looking more dead than alive.  
  
"So what happened?" Hikari asked later. They had cleaned up Saraia and currently the elf was sleeping under a daze of drug herbs by the fire, bandages all over her, complete with one over her eyes.  
  
"Will she be alright?" Dia countered.  
  
"I have done all that I could for her," the princess said haltingly. "But I do not know. She took much damage. Blood loss, a punctured lung and injured shoulder, gashes around her eyes. Also her supply of mana is very low."  
  
"So tell us what happened," Daisuke said grimly.  
  
"I went back and she was dueling that bastard Morseth," Dia said, his fists clenching.  
  
"Wait, wait, you need to tell us that story," Koushiro reminded him.  
  
Dia sighed. "Well, that was a few years ago. We were freelance guards just finishing an assignment when we heard of this dark mage terrorizing a village. You see, great magic can be obtained from the pain and deaths of living things, but it is tainted usually, and this mage was building up a powerhouse. Saraia apparently heard of this mage, they were tutored under the same sage, but he chose another path, instead of light, justice, and love like she did." The shadow being paused for a moment, thinking for a moment with a wry, twisted smile lingering on his face.  
  
"Well, this mage apparently chose mostly women for his power gaining. You see; if one takes a darker path to obtaining magic, there are three potent ways of gaining it. One: causing pain, two, killing something: three: sexual intercourse. There is also one other way, and that is through emotions of fear and suffering. Saraia was the decoy to get to him and then she suddenly challenged him to a mage's duel. But he's a coward and ambushed her just when she had him in the right spot. That's when Daisuke and I charged in."  
  
Daisuke smiled wryly. "First time I ever saw Saraia wearing an outfit like that."  
  
"Now, we managed to hold them off and Iori performed a complex bit of magic. He's a priest you see and managed to banish the mage. Only after Saraia pleaded though, just because they had a childhood together. I knew that would haunt us someday." Dia sighed, looking very old.  
  
Daisuke laughed dryly. "Just not like this. We just figured we would have to deal with 'the song,' and what it spread about us. Stupid bard."  
  
"That isn't relevant, Daisuke. When I got there, she and Morseth were fighting, a bunch of magic creatures about them. Morseth got her across the face and she ran him through. I managed to take care of the creatures in time. Then the mage's body crumbled to ash right in front of me, and there was Saraia, pale as milk and looking dead."  
  
"I just hope she will survive," Miyako said softly. "We owe her so much."  
  
"We have to keep to hope, she is a strong elf," Takeru murmured.  
  
~*~  
  
Where am I?  
  
Death.  
  
No, I feel so cold, so empty.  
  
Child.  
  
Who- what are you?  
  
I am Death, child.  
  
No! I cannot be dead, I just cannot.  
  
You are at a crossing point, you are not dead and you are not alive. From a shining, weak thread you are hanging, one move will snap it.  
  
Have you come for me?  
  
A handsome man, wearing black, dark haired and pale skinned like Morseth but with none of his wickedness and evil, only serene calm and comfort. His dark eyes gazed into her, not the hard amber of the dark mage's.  
  
The fates have weighed you and found you ready to go into the lands of the dead, to Paradise.  
  
No! I have other obligations. I cannot rest in peace while my friends are in danger. No matter that I swore to die for them.  
  
Will you not want to see your fallen ancestors? Your friends, those mortal and able to die from age, whose souls have passed over into those realms?  
  
I am sorry, but I am tied to this. Please, let me live so that I may protect them. Take anything from me, but let me be able to protect the lives of those I have sworn to guard.  
  
There will be a price.  
  
I will accept it.  
  
I will take from you your sight, but in its stead I will leave you with another, the eyes of the mind, Second Sight.  
  
Thank you, Shadow King, Lord of those who pass over.  
  
I must admit, not many are as honorable as you to return, especially after such pain, nor with as much devotion to those you care for.  
  
Call me foolish but I will not abandon them for anything.  
  
There is nothing foolish of love, little sister. Now it is time for the proper soul to return to its vessel.  
  
~*~  
  
"She's been in a coma for two days, that's never good," Miyako said, wiping off her forehead.  
  
"Her vital signs are still evident," Dia pointed out stubbornly.  
  
Suddenly the elf moved, her voice whispering, "Dia?"  
  
"Good Goddess!" he shouted, jumping up and running over to her. She managed to sit up, but he pushed her down. "Rest." Everyone crowded around.  
  
"This is a miracle!"  
  
"No, she's just too stubborn to die."  
  
"Extraordinary!"  
  
She slowly reached behind her head to undo the bandage.  
  
"Don't remove that!" Hikari cried. "Your eyes are still healing!"  
  
"My eyes do not matter that much anymore," Saraia said softly, her voice calm. When she finished removing the bandage, everyone gasped. There were faded scars around her eyes, horrible, but fading. But most shocking was the blank look in them, the polished look of two opaque emeralds glittering in them.  
  
"What happened?" Daisuke croaked.  
  
"She's blind," Miyako gasped.  
  
"No I am not, not completely," the elf said, turning to the Amazon's direction.  
  
"You could have heard her voice," Daisuke accused.  
  
"Oh is that true? Test me," Saraia said.  
  
Miyako grabbed her circlet, putting it in front of the elf. "What is this? And describe it."  
  
"It is a silver circlet, with etchings of birds upon it and set with a single amethyst," Saraia answered coolly.  
  
"She's got the second sight then," Koushiro realized. "Able to see things with her mind despite the fact that her eyes are blind."  
  
"Right on the mark." She got up. "Well, everyone pack up. It's about a day's trek to the temple if we go at an easy pace."  
  
~*~  
  
"Saraia, how did you do it?" Hikari asked.  
  
The elf turned those mysterious, distant green eyes toward her. "I cannot explain it all myself."  
  
The princess found it rather unnerving to be scrutinized like that and shuddered slightly. "You are very lucky though to survive."  
  
"Princess, in all my years there is very little 'luck' in the happenings of things. Successes happen through planning, intelligence, and hard work. I should know; I have lived long enough and seen enough to tell."  
  
Hikari mused on those words as Saraia urged her horse ahead.  
  
~*~  
  
The sun shone brutally on the group as they traveled through the desert. Once they drank from their water supplies, they grew thirsty again as the baking hot winds seemed to snatch away the moisture from their bodies.  
  
"It is just up ahead," Iori called, pointing a dim shape.  
  
They urged their horses on further. Daisuke's mount, one of the most skittish, galloped ahead and with a shout, he managed to prevent it from skidding off a cliff. As the others gathered, they found themselves overlooking a small pocket of forest, an oasis in the middle of the desert, a large building in the center.  
  
"This is it," Saraia said. "Come on."  
  
She carefully guided them down a path carved on the side of the cliff. It was sundown by the time they reached the temple and managed to set up a rough camp.  
  
"Moonlight," Koushiro muttered. "Something about moon and starlight."  
  
Hikari traced her hand on the cool stone. "There is something about this place, it is magical."  
  
"It is a safe place," Iori said, setting down his water canteen. "Blessed and sacred."  
  
"How long do we have to wait?" Taichi asked, sharpening his blade.  
  
"Not long," Saraia assured them. "Not very long."  
  
"Look!" Mimi whispered, pointing to the base of the building. Something silver was glowing upon the white stone, forming the outline of a door and sparkling decorations surrounding it.  
  
Saraia smiled as she stepped toward the door. "'By moonlight seek the door, and starlight will reveal the entrance. Then the key shall turn, and the Orb shall form with the twelve.'" Fishing the key out of a pocket, she slipped it through a keyhole in the rock. With a creak, the double doors opened outward, revealing a passageway lit with torches. "Come along. Leave the horses out here, they will be safe."  
  
Dust filled Taichi's nostrils as he walked along, dust and incense as he faintly heard chanting seeming to come from the stone around him. But it wasn't eerie at all; on the contrary, it was soothing. Warmth was about, like being in a patch of sunlight on an early spring day. Sniffing, he detected his favorite scents of musk and sandalwood carried to him on a small breeze. Oddly, the torches didn't even flicker.  
  
Something was very old about this place, very old, yet very young at the same time. He felt invisible hands caressing him, soft murmurs and chuckles teasing at his ears, and his eyes occasionally catching odd glints in the stone around. Soon they came into a large chamber.  
  
It was made of smooth, polished black stone that mirrored them in the faceted walls. Dimly lit, it had a calm air about, as in the center was a pedestal about the size of a small table and balanced on a single column, somehow fused to the floor.  
  
Saraia, who had been leading, turned to them all. Her voice echoed oddly as the tonality was far different than her normal voice. "Andia, stand to the south and I will stand to the north. Twelve who have been Chosen, grasp hands and stand about the pedestal."  
  
Puzzled, everyone did so. The pedestal was made of the same smooth black stone as the rest of the chamber; it was as if the whole room had been carved and hollowed out from a single, large stone. Immediately, it seemed as though something had gained control of Taichi, a benevolent spirit ready to guide him.  
  
"Twelve from four corners; now gathered around. Worthy of power, pure of spirit, and warriors of Light, judgment begins and is now done. None is found wanting, and to summon they are ready. No desire they have, all oaths given truly." araia's voice echoed all around as a colorless orb formed, bobbing above the pedestal, just over their heads.  
  
"Of fire I represent, and of courage. I am a warrior but of justice and truth," Taichi found himself saying. "Never will I twist my oaths or use my power for personal gain." A stream of orange fire twisted from him before disappearing into the orb.  
  
"Of true sight I represent, and of love," Sora said, looking at the orb. "I only spill blood in defense and will forever keep my duty. I will not be corrupted nor use this responsibility recklessly." A ray of red light spiraled up.  
  
"Of ice I represent, and of friendship. My comrades I keep close, and protect," Yamato followed. "As close as kin they are, and for them I will never shirk what is given to me." Ice blue shard like pieces of light lanced up to join the others.  
  
"Of water I represent, and of responsibility. I, of all, must keep to my duty," Jyou said after. "As king and of guardian I will not corrupt my integrity. If I must, I will be a rock on which others may rest, as they would for me." Blue gray glittered as it flew up, in a steady river of power.  
  
"Of plants I represent, and of purity," Mimi said firmly. "I heal instead of harm, and my power will never be used for greed or destruction. As others help me, I will help them, no matter what." Green patches of light blew up to mix with the other lights.  
  
"Of lightning I represent, and of knowledge," Koushiro responded. "I will use this to help others, and to know the consequences of following the road of darkness. I uphold this duty with greatest honor and will do my best." Purple lightning flickered as it quickly flew to the orb.  
  
"Of steel I represent, and of perseverance," Daisuke said. "Even when times are bleak I will never give up my responsibility. When other falter, I will go on, never stopping." Bright silver flashed as daggers of light danced up to the mixture of elements.  
  
"Of wind I represent, and of sincerity," Miyako followed. "Lies will not deceive me, nor will I use them for my gain. This duty is given to me, and forever will I keep my oath to uphold it." Winds of pale lavender blew fiercely, swirling the other colors.  
  
"Of the mind I represent, and of patience," Iori said. "I will bide my time when there are rough roads to travel, and endure what tries to tempt me. But I will fight when I must instead of holding back." Rich brown light was added to the orb.  
  
"Of shadows I represent, and of compassion," Ken said quietly. "Even within the shadows, emotion can lie. To heal and to protect will I use my gifts, and the true darkness will never ensnare me." Dark rose-lavender bits of light slipped upwards.  
  
"Of emotion I represent, and of hope," Takeru spoke. "I will inspire others when times are of despair. Hope is a light that I will kindle and fuel in everyone and it is a position I will perform with the greatest of honor and gratitude." Gold light glittered as it flew from him.  
  
"Of healing I represent, and of light," Hikari said, her voice strong. "I am the embodiment of light in physical form. I work with hope and together we keep the balance of light and darkness. Healing is part of my job and I can work with everyone to perform that. I, of all, cannot step from my duty." Pink washed over the colors in the orb.  
  
"Now the essences of the Twelve are gathered, the Sapphire Orb may be formed," Saraia intoned. "I am a vessel in which to guide the Twelve and combine their powers to form the gem."  
  
"I am the guardian of these twelve individuals. My life and my sword is laid down for them so that they may live on," Dia added.  
  
"Now let the dragon awaken and the future of the world set!" everyone shouted.  
  
The colors and elements swirled and mingled, faster and faster. It then turned black, then white, then all the colors of the elements before settling on blue and turning darker slowly until it was the most beautiful shade of blue all had ever seen, the color of the night sky just after sunset and the color of ocean waters.  
  
The orb slowly shrank and settled onto the pedestal. Everyone blinked as the trance left each in turn.  
  
"It's beautiful," Hikari whispered, her hand lightly touching the smooth surface.  
  
"And it's just so powerful," Miyako said, cocking her head.  
  
"It must be destroyed," Koushiro rasped before clearing his throat.  
  
"Why?" Yamato turned. "We can do so much good with it."  
  
"That's the problem," Jyou pointed out. "It would be too easy to grow complacent. This orb is a danger to everyone."  
  
"So do we just smash it?" Daisuke asked.  
  
"Idiot!" Saraia scolded. "You cannot destroy it, the shockwaves and backlash from destroying an object of this level of power will be enough to destroy the entire world!"  
  
"Then what do we do?" Ken questioned her.  
  
"Wait, I have a solution, but it is risky," Iori spoke up. "We will destroy this stone but as the power goes out, we will absorb it."  
  
"You're mad!" Koushiro exclaimed.  
  
"I agree with it," Mimi said. "It's not as though we have any other solution, do we?" The others stood in silence, nodding.  
  
"Alright, get ready, I will be the one to destroy it, help me with this, Dia," Saraia sighed as she stepped to the pedestal. The shadow being joined her on the other side, holding his broadsword. "Everyone get ready, you will have only one chance to gather this rogue power."  
  
"Wait, what about the dragon?" Sora asked.  
  
"If this works, you all will be able to call him, as the Orb's power will be within each of you," the elf smiled, picking up the round gem in both hands. "Grasp your hands now. And concentrate."  
  
She looked at Dia and nodded, once. He reversed his sword and the pommel came coming down, shattering the gem. There was a sudden explosion of blue light, no one could speak, hear, feel, or see anything at all but the light until it cleared. Each of the twelve chosen was glowing with a faint blue aura, which soon faded.  
  
"It worked!" Hikari cried, looking at her hands.  
  
Saraia let the shards remaining in her hands drop onto the pedestal and they dissipated like smoke. She seemed very old, and surprisingly, her hair was almost all silver white and her eyes were pale green. The elf grinned at them tiredly as they started at her appearance. "I was in full brunt of the explosion. Pure magic did this to me, but do not worry, I expected this."  
  
"What about us, why don't we have hair like yours?" Miyako asked.  
  
"The magic were each of your own, and it identifies you, I suppose," she shrugged. "I just channeled the energy, you were the ones who absorbed it."  
  
Dia sighed, his hair with a few more silver streaks and some signs of crow's feet at the corner of his eyes. "You crazy elf. Now look what happened."  
  
"It wasn't my fault," she retorted.  
  
"Something is outside," Hikari suddenly said, her eyes closed.  
  
"Damn," Ken swore suddenly, hand on the hilt of his sword. "Demons."  
  
"Well, this is your battle," Saraia said, looking at each in turn. "This is the final confrontation between good and light. The question is, are you ready?" Eyes like pale green ice bored into them, scrutinizing them.  
  
"You bet we are," Daisuke smiled, his hand fondling the red and blue hilt of his own sword. Everyone else nodded, faces grim yet determined.  
  
~*~  
  
'Cut, parry, crescent slash,' Yamato ran through his mind as he cut down another demon, just for the heck of it. He turned rapidly, extending a free hand. "Ice blades!" Shards of ice flew through the air, impaling two demon soldiers who thought to cut him down from behind. 'Counter, block, lunge!'  
  
'This is warfare in a new perspective,' Miyako thought as she used a slim sword borrowed from Hikari to block a blow. "Tempest storm!" Her two opponents flew away from her. "True gale!" They then burst apart in a gory explosion. 'Two down, many more to go.'  
  
Ken ducked as he ran a demon through and suddenly flung his hand back. "Shadow shroud!" A black web covered some who were trying to sneak up on him. 'I am so going to kill Eriol for that remark about having an interesting time! If I survive that is!'  
  
'I will never look at those ballads the same way again,' Taichi though to himself. "Incineration!" He watched as five of the demons screamed before falling down as ash onto the ground, but there were so many more.  
  
'Disgusting!' Mimi thought, grimacing. "Binding vines!" What looked suspiciously like ivy grew from the ground, strangling the demons about to attack her. 'I hope this ends soon.' She had no more time for idle thoughts as she continued to battle.  
  
'It's time to end fun and games,' Daisuke thought grimly. "Shard storm!" Glittering blades stabbed into those demons surrounding him. "Prophetic hand!" Iori was dealing with his opponents very well. 'It is good we destroyed the stone.' the cleric thought thankfully.  
  
Sora stood back to back with Jyou and Koushiro. 'It's good I'm here to watch their backs, and they watch mine.' She cut down a daring warrior who thought to stab either mage to distract them. The demons surrounding them seemed to multiply as their vision clouded. 'What?' Koushiro thought wildly. "Lighting blaze!" Purple sparks and bits of fire flooded from his hands. He then heard Sora. "True sight!" and the illusion faded. Jyou concentrated. "Leviathan force!" A water dragon charged through the ranks of demons. 'I never imagined power like this.' he thought.  
  
'We will protect our world,' Hikari thought as Takeru kept in his mind, 'No matter what, we will not forget hope.' "Holy Light!" they both shouted, blasts of light crushing the ranks surrounding them.  
  
Hikari nearly screamed as a demon charged at her but it fell, decapitated by a sword stroke. Dia winked at her cheerfully. "You didn't think we would be kept out of the party now would we?"  
  
"More fighting and less talking," Saraia yelled to him, sighting targets with her bow.  
  
~*~  
  
After what seemed to be a long time, they cut down the last soldier. "Is that it?" Mimi asked.  
  
"It's way too much like the calm before a storm," Daisuke said, watching as the remains around them faded to dust.  
  
"Goddess, what is that?" Dia looked up.  
  
Stripes of darkness were crossing the blue, late afternoon sky. "The final darkness," Saraia whispered.  
  
"What?" Hikari gasped as columns of shadows surrounded her and the others. She banged on it, trying to get out but it was too strong.  
  
Saraia yelled up to them, trying to get to them, "No matter what, believe in yourselves and the others! You all have powers within you, and Dia and I are here to support you!"  
  
As the columns, each one with a chosen in it, rose to the sky, Dia shook his head angrily. "Why can't we do anything?"  
  
"We are merely guides, we can only do so much," the elf said softly. "I know they are strong though and they will make it."  
  
A/N: Cliffy! Aren't I evil? Hehe. Well, this series is nearly over. Until then, I leave you in suspense!  
  
Syaoran: You're evil.  
  
Me: I just said that!  
  
Yukito: *confused* (how kawaii! =^.^=) Have you seen Touya-chan?  
  
Me: Nope, sorry, Yuki-chan! 


End file.
